The Duplicity of Men
by Shergar
Summary: With a powerful new drugs baron on the scene, Five-O thinks that he has inside information. Who is this man and who is telling him what he needs to know to keep one step ahead of the police?
1. Chapter 1

The Duplicity of Men

"McGarrett." Steve's voice was clipped as he answered the phone, his mind still mostly on the paperwork on his desk. He never seemed to get to the end of it. He was convinced it was breeding, an unusually fanciful thought for such a practical man, but one which had its birthplace in a remark that he had overheard a day or so before.

"Steve, its Danny." It was apparent that Danny was on the radio, being patched through. "All hell has broken loose down here," he reported. "It's like they knew we were coming."

That was not good news. Danny, Chin and Kono had gone with a couple of HPD men as back-up to arrest some members of one of the biggest drug gangs that had suddenly sprung up on the island just recently. The streets were flooded with cheap heroin and cocaine and the number of deaths had also multiplied. The drugs had been cut with arsenic, making them deadly. War had broken out between this new gang and the suppliers that had worked the island before and Five-O had been working hard to arrest as many gang members as they could, but were making only sporadic progress. In the last few days, as Danny reported, it seemed as though the gang was being tipped off as to the planned raids.

"Have you got more back-up rolling?" Steve demanded, knowing Danny would have sent for help at once, but still needing to ask, to cover all the bases.

"On the way," Danny agreed.

"I'll be right there!" Steve insisted, although his presence wouldn't make that much difference. Still, he could not sit back and do nothing when his men were in danger. "Be careful!" Jumping to his feet, Steve shouldered his way into his jacket as he hurried out of the door.

As Danny dropped the mic and slid out of the LTD, a shot pinged off the roof of the car and whistled past his ear. Danny ducked lower, even as Kono reached up to yank him down. "You gonna lose your head, bruddah," he chided the younger man.

"There's no danger of that with you around," Danny countered as Kono's grip on his arm remained in place, preventing the second in command from popping up to return fire.

"We're out numbered," Chin reminded Danny from Kono's other side.

"I don't know that we are," Danny disagreed. "Just out gunned." He had made an attempt to get his rifle from the trunk of his car and almost got a face-full of shrapnel for his trouble.

"Same thing," Kono retorted. "We need back up, wikiwiki."

"It's coming," Danny sighed, guessing from the bruising grip on his arm that Kono was not going to let him shoot back until there were other officers on the scene. "Steve's coming, too." He didn't really need to see the glance that Kono and Chin exchanged. He knew that the others would not let him get into a position where he might be hurt, especially if Steve McGarrett was on the way. Everyone knew that Steve was rather protective of his youngest detective.

There was a shout near-by as one of the HPD officers popped up at the wrong moment and caught a bullet in the arm. The Five-O officers all tensed and Kono relinquished his grip on Danny as they watched the man crawl back to the relative safety of the patrol car.

"This is ridiculous," Danny murmured. He turned and peered over the car again and shot at a movement in the building. There was a volley of return fire, but it seemed thinner than the previous volleys had. "I think I got one of them," Danny speculated. He fired again, Kono and Chin lending some supporting fire.

By now, the sound of sirens as back-up drew nearer were clearly audible. There were signs of movement within the building and Danny began to actively worry that the gang would manage to escape out the back, as they had had no opportunity to place men at the back of the building. He reached for the mic again, intending to direct some of the arriving units to cover the back.

He must have been seen, for the windows of the LTD suddenly splintered into a million pieces as the gang members opened fire. Glass sprayed all around and everyone ducked for cover. Danny dropped the mic and threw himself face down on the seat. Shots peppered the vehicle and Danny feared that the petrol tank would take a direct hit. He slithered carefully backwards, keeping his head well down and saw with relief that reinforcements had arrived.

It took a moment to realise that the shooting had stopped. He popped up warily, but the windows facing them were blank now. Officers in flak jackets were converging on the building, but Danny already knew that the gang members had fled. He stood straight and moved to join them, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He glanced up at Kono. "What?" he asked.

"You bleeding, bruddah," Kono informed him. He pointed to Danny's hand.

Following Kono's finger, Danny saw a slice running across the back of his hand. It didn't look too bad and he was only just beginning to feel it, but it was bleeding freely. "Must have been the glass," Danny agreed dismissively. He was about to move off once again, but Kono prevented it.

"You covered in blood," he announced worriedly.

"Covered?" Danny was beginning to feel impatient. He was in no pain to speak of, the injury was hardly life threatening and everyone knew a little blood went a long, long way. He looked down at himself and realised that Kono was right. His shirt was speckled with blood all down the front and a quick look around confirmed that nobody else was badly enough injured that their blood could have splattered all over Danny. "How…?" he wondered, but Kono was already taking charge of his weapon and Chin was now reaching to loosen his tie. "I'm fine," Danny protested, but he was ignored as Kono gently unbuttoned his shirt.

There were multiple tiny nicks and cuts all over Danny's chest and stomach, probably from the shards of glass littering the seat of the LTD. Danny's backwards slide from the seat of the car had caused the small wounds, all of which were bleeding. "You better get to the hospital," Kono suggested worriedly.

"I'm fine," Danny reiterated. Now that his attention had been drawn to the wounds, they stung slightly, but there was nothing life threatening and he certainly didn't need to go to the hospital. There was work to do here and standing around chatting was not going to get it done. They had to find out how the gang had discovered that they had been going to do a raid that day. "Let's go." He shook off the other men and started to re-button his shirt. He could just hear the stories that would go around about the way he was babied and he began to feel quite annoyed.

"You don't look that fine to me," Steve said, arriving at Kono's side. "You at least need to get that checked out. How did it happen?"

Before Danny could say a word, Kono jumped in, postulating the theory that Danny had been cut by the glass on the car seat. Smears of blood there tended to support that theory and by the time Kono had finished, Danny was feeling less annoyed and more amused by the big man's solicitousness. Kono was his friend and was just looking out for him. It was hardly Kono's fault that Danny hated to be babied. "I'm fine," he added, as punctuation to Kono's story. His tone declared that he thought this sorry saga was over and done with.

"You still need to get that checked out," Steve declared. "Kono, make sure he goes to the hospital. Chin, you're with me." The problem solved to his satisfaction, Steve swept away, leaving Danny feeling annoyed again and Kono trying not to smirk.

"Come on, kaikaina," Kono urged, taking Danny's arm. "You heard da boss."

"But it doesn't mean I have to like it," Danny grumbled as he followed along obediently.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve entered the ER waiting room and found Kono dozing behind a magazine. He cleared his throat loudly and had the satisfaction of seeing his detective jump. "Boss," Kono mumbled, allowing the magazine to slip to the floor. "I was just thinking," he offered lamely.

"I'm sure you were," Steve returned. "How's Danno?"

"Ain't seen him in a while," Kono allowed. "Doc says there was a lot of bits of glass in him." He shrugged. "He said he'd come and get me once he was through."

"How long ago was that?" Steve asked. He had been at the site of the shoot-out for quite a while.

"Um… about half an hour?" Kono didn't have a clue and he knew that McGarrett knew that. The quiet of the waiting room had made him sleepy and he had forgone drinking the swill that passed for coffee in the hospital, which might have kept him awake. A nap had been just what he had needed after his stressful morning being shot at.

"Let's see what we can find out, shall we?" Steve asked and Kono got to his feet, self-consciously tucking his shirt tail back in as he rose.

They were saved the bother of hunting through the ER by the arrival of Doc Bergman as they reached the door. "Ah, Steve, there you are," Bergman said and Kono wondered for a moment if the ME was having a little joke. "Danny is ready to go home."

"Good. What's the verdict?" Steve asked.

"Nothing too serious, but we had to dig quite a few little shards of glass out of his torso. It was pretty uncomfortable for him, but none of the injuries are serious. I put a couple of stitches into that gash on his hand, but that was the worst of it. Take him home and put him to bed and tomorrow he'll be as right as rain." Bergman was relieved. When he had first seen all the blood, he had feared that Danny might have several large puncture wounds hiding under the blood-stained shirt. X-rays had put that fear aside and Danny, although punctured in quite a few places, was fine. Blood loss had been minimal and there were no stitches apart from on his hand.

"Thanks, Doc." Steve followed Bergman back to the ER room where Danny had been treated and found his detective disgustedly examining his bloody shirt. A large bandage covered the stitches on Danny's right hand and several band aids decorated his bare chest. "How's it, Danno?" Steve asked.

"I'm fine," Danny replied, dropping the stained garment on the gurney beside him. His deliberate actions belied his words. Steve could see that his detective had had some pain relief and wasn't quite functioning on full power. "Doc, is there any chance I could get a scrub shirt?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Bergman replied in a long-suffering tone and proffered the green top he had been carrying in his hand.

"Thanks," Danny smiled. He started to struggle into it. "So am I free to go?" He made it sound as though he was under arrest.

"Free to go home and only to go home," Bergman told him in a no-nonsense tone. "You've had too many painkillers to be safe doing anything else today."

"I'm fine," issued from the folds of the scrub shirt and would have had more weight had Kono not had to tug the offending material down for the detective. Danny slid to the floor and gripped the edge of the gurney tightly until he got his balance, another indicator that he was less than 'fine'.

"Doc says go home and that's what you're going to do," Steve decreed, although he would have preferred that Danny come back to the office with him so that they could work some more on the drug gang. The press was baying for their blood as the number of deaths increased each day and the Governor was also on Steve's back, pressurising him for a quick result. Steve took Danny's arm and Kono moved in on the other side. "Thanks again, Doc."

Nodding, Bergman ushered the three men out of the ER and Danny staggered to Steve's car. He slid into the passenger seat. "What did you find at the scene?" he asked.

"Lots of shell casings," Steve replied. "And some blood."

"Told you I got one of them," Danny told Kono with satisfaction.

"I never said you didn't," Kono objected. "They got clean away, boss?" It was a question that didn't really need to be asked. Steve would not have come to the hospital if they had managed to arrest any of the gang members.

"Yes," Steve agreed. He was seriously annoyed at his inability to get one step ahead of this gang. Someone, somewhere, had to be tipping them off. Details were kept on a need-to-know basis within Five-O and HPD were only contacted when they were needed; they were given no prior warnings of raids. Steve couldn't believe that it was one of his staff who was leaking the details, so who could it be?

"Where are we going?" Danny asked, as they passed the turn for the palace.

"You are going home," Steve reminded him severely. "And you are going to stay there until tomorrow. Understand?"

"Sure," Danny agreed, far too readily. Steve stifled a sigh, for he had a feeling he might have to fight Danny on this one, but by the time they arrived at the younger man's apartment, Danny was out for the count and Kono and Steve half-carried him inside. Steve stripped off his shoes and Kono rolled him into bed and they left him sleeping more than just soundly.

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"The Governor called, Steve," Jenny reported as they returned to the office. Chin was already back, having supervised the lab team dealing with the crime scene. "He wants you to call him as soon as possible."

"Mahalo, love," Steve replied, knowing that the governor wanted the impossible; this case solved yesterday. "Chin, did anything new come to light when the scene was cleared?"

"No, nothing," Chin reported regretfully. "I arranged for Danny's car to be repaired. How is he?"

"Sore, but he'll be back tomorrow," Steve assured him. "Nothing major. You two see what you can scare up from your snitches and I'll speak to the governor." It was the last thing he really wanted to do. There was enough pressure on him to get this mess sorted out without the governor checking up on progress every five minutes. Jenny put the call through and he was connected at once.

"Steve, we need a fast result on this one," Paul Jameson announced at once.

"I am aware of that, Sir, and we're doing everything that we can," Steve replied through gritted teeth.

"Well it doesn't seem as though that is good enough," the Governor responded tartly. "I heard on the news that Danny Williams was badly hurt. How long will he be out?"

"Danny wasn't badly hurt," Steve reported. "A few minor injuries and he will be back in the office tomorrow."

"I'm glad to hear it," Jameson replied. "It didn't look too good on the news."

That was something else that McGarrett couldn't explain – yet. Why the news cameras always knew when something was going down and arrived just in time to see the latest 'disaster' as they termed each failed raid. Steve had the creeping suspicion that the drugs lord was tipping the media off to show Five-O in the worst possible light. With their failure so far to bring the gang to justice, Steve knew that public opinion of him and his team was dropping quickly. He wondered how long it would be before there was a call for his resignation. He knew he would get to the bottom of this situation, but it probably wouldn't happen as fast as either he or the governor wanted.

With an effort, Steve brought his attention back to this conversation. "Thank you," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Governor, I have work to do."

"Yes, of course. I have an appointment already with me," Jameson agreed. "You know Paul Merrick?"

"I believe we've met," Steve agreed. He was sure they had met in passing one day when Steve was coming from the governor's office and Merrick was going in. He could not exactly say that he knew the man. "Goodbye, Sir."

"Bye, Steve. Let's get these guys."

Putting the receiver back in place gently took more concentration than it should have done. Steve knew that the governor had to take an interest in these high-profile cases, but he wished that the other man did not do it quite so personally, or quite so often right at the moment. His patience was frazzled enough with the daily events connected with this gang; he didn't need the governor adding to it with little jibes like that! Let him come and run the state police unit for a day and see how he liked the pressure!

With an exasperated sigh, Steve settled back in to the never-ending paperwork, but more than half his mind was still working angles on getting the gang


	3. Chapter 3

"How're you feeling, Danny?" Jenny asked solicitously as Danny entered the office the next morning with Steve a few steps behind.

"I'm fine, thanks," he assured her. It wasn't quite the truth. He was a little sore, but not enough to really slow him down much. He had been collected by Steve, as his car was in the shop for repairs, and Steve had privately determined to keep an eye on the young man to make sure that he didn't over do things that day. Danny had swapped out the large swathe of gauze over the stitches on his hand for a large band aid, but Steve had already decreed that he wouldn't be out on the street until the stitches were removed. His hand was stiff, but remarkably pain free. Steve wanted it kept that way.

The detectives gathered for their early morning update in Steve's office. Both Chin and Kono expressed their relief that Danny was not badly hurt and Danny thanked Kono and Steve for taking him home the previous day. He was mortified that he had had to be 'put to bed' by them and so didn't mention that. Kono had a twinkle in his eye as Danny thanked him, but he didn't mention 'tucking in' his friend.

With those pleasantries over, Steve took charge of the conversation again. "So what do we have?" he asked.

"We've had the hospitals alerted to tell us about any gunshot wounds they admitted," Chin replied. "I know they tell us anyway, but they were warned this is extra important and to tell us wikiwiki. There's been nothing so far. No dead bodies have been reported anywhere, either, so we have to assume that the one Danny winged is still alive and being treated by the other gang members."

"Or that we just haven't found the body yet," Danny added.

"I spoke to the TV station and they said they got an anonymous phone tip-off about the raid," Kono offered. "A man's voice, but that was all they could tell us."

"I wonder if it would be worth putting a trace on their line," Steve mused. "Chin, Kono, I want you out on the streets, pushing your snitches for information. Somebody has to know something! Danno, I want you to stay in the office and look at what we have already. Maybe something will jump out at you."

"All right," Danny replied. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in the office, but he knew that Steve had a point. If something happened when he was talking to some of the low-lifes he used as snitches, he was not really in a position to defend himself.

As his three detectives rose, Steve rose with them and rounded his desk to pat Danny's shoulder. "I know you'd rather be out there, aikane," he murmured, "but I don't want to take that risk."

"I know," Danny agreed ruefully. It didn't mean he had to like it, though. "I'll get started reviewing what we have."

"I have another meeting with the governor," Steve told him. "Hold the fort until I get back."

"Governor Jameson is really putting the pressure on this time, isn't he?" Danny asked sympathetically. Steve had had to see the governor almost every day.

"Sure is. With the election coming up later this year, he's getting flak from his supporters, too, I suppose," Steve surmised. "Another reason why I would never enter politics." He buttoned his jacket. "I hope I won't be too long."

"I hope so, too," Danny smiled. He headed into his own cubicle as Steve headed out of the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, Steve was still not back. Danny was unsure if he was making any headway or not. He had jotted down a few notes as he reviewed the evidence, but so far had come to no earth-shaking conclusions. Nothing new had leapt out at him and he was beginning to feel rather discouraged.

"Danny," Jenny called across to him. "It's Leahi hospital ER on the phone. They had a young man dropped off a short time ago, suffering from a gunshot wound. We asked to be notified quickly about any such injuries."

"Thanks," Danny replied, grabbing up the phone. "This is Detective Williams."

"Leahi ER," answered a clipped male voice. "We just found a young man on our doorstep with a serious gunshot wound. You asked to be notified at once."

"I'll be right over," Danny promised. "What is his condition?"

"It's serious," the man replied. "He has lost a lot of blood and the bullet is still in him and there is infection present, too."

"Thank you." Danny put the receiver down and grabbed his gun from the drawer, sliding it into his holster. He shrugged on his suit jacket. "Jenny, tell Steve I'm at Leahi hospital. It looks like one of our perps from yesterday has turned up and he's not in a good way. I hope I'll be able to ask him some questions. I'll hang around at the hospital for as long as I need to." He made a quick detour into Steve's office to collect the keys to Steve's car and headed out of the building at a rapid walk.

He hoped the young man would not die – and for more than just one reason. Danny knew he would feel dreadful if he had caused the young man's death, regardless of the crimes that man had committed. He also hoped the guy wouldn't die, because he would be able to give them some answers – provided he was willing to talk!

Although it didn't take him long to reach the hospital, by the time he got there, the young man was in surgery. The ER doctor who had treated him initially assured Danny that they had managed to stabilise him before taking him up to surgery and the surgeon who was operating was one of the best they had. As yet, they had no name for the man, but they had kept his clothes and Danny summoned someone from the lab to go over the garments. They would get the slug as soon as the operation was over, but there seemed little doubt that it would match Danny's gun.

Waiting was always the hardest thing to do. Danny paced a little, but ultimately settled himself in a corner of the waiting room so that he didn't disturb the other people who were sitting there. He didn't know how long the operation would last, and picked up a surfing magazine to pass the time with, but it couldn't capture his full attention.

After a while, Danny realised that a youth in another corner of the room was surreptitiously watching him over a different issue of the same surfing magazine. The youth's clothes were grimy, he was incredibly thin and he had dark circles under his eyes. Danny found himself examining the youngster more closely, although his surreptitious scrutiny was far more discreet than the boy's. As the youngster twitched nervously, Danny became convinced that this boy was waiting to hear about the same person that Danny was. His pulse quickened, although he kept his posture relaxed. Maybe they were finally going to get a break on this case!

Putting down his magazine, Danny made a big show of stretching and yawning and rose to amble a few paces, apparently working the kinks out of his legs and back. Goodness knows the chairs were uncomfortable enough to warrant that action, even if he hadn't been playacting. He carefully did not look at the youth straight on, but something must have given him away, for the boy suddenly dropped his magazine and made a bolt for the door.

For a fraction of a second, Danny thought the youth would get away, but he lunged for door and beat the youngster there by mere inches. "Going somewhere?" he asked ominously.

"You got nothing on me!" the boy spat. "Get outta my way!"

Leaning his back against the door, Danny casually produced his badge and flashed it for the attention of the few other people in the room who had been looking at him in outrage at his behaviour. They all subsided and returned to their waiting. "I think we need to have a talk in private," Danny told the kid and took him by the arm.

Another flash of his badge got him a tiny private room. Danny made the kid sit down and leaned against the door. "So, you're waiting to see if your friend lives, huh?" Danny asked. There was no response apart from a black look. "Me, too," Danny informed him. "I'm pretty sure it was me who shot him yesterday. Must have been quite a scare for you when he went down."

Again, there was no response, but the youth looked pale. "What's your name?" Danny asked. He sighed as yet again the youth ignored him. He took a step closer and grabbed the youth's arm. Alarmed, the kid surged to his feet, pushing and hitting against Danny as the detective ignored his antics and pushed up the sleeve. As he had expected, there were needle tracks on the pale skin. Disgusted, Danny let go of his arm and the kid gave him a hard shove as he lunged towards the door of the small room.

Catching the youth easily, Danny pushed him down onto the seat and rubbed his smarting chest where the kid's hands had hit the small wounds left from the previous day. "Calm down, kid," Danny ordered. "When was your last hit?"

"I ain't talkin' to you, pig!" the kid shouted and Danny guessed that he had had a hit a little while ago.

"You'll talk, one way or the other," Danny told him bleakly. From the sudden blanching of his skin, Danny realised that the youth thought he was likely in for a beating. "Once you're desperate for a hit, you'll sing like a canary," Danny elaborated. "Cooperate, and you might find yourself in a bed here, coming down easily. Don't cooperate and you'll go through withdrawal cold turkey while you wait to go to court."

The youth replied with a profanity. Danny shook his head sadly. He would not fancy going cold turkey on withdrawal, not from the things he had seen and heard in his career. Shaking his head, Danny moved to search the young man's pockets.

As Danny leaned over, the youth kicked him hard in the shins and swung a haphazard punch at his ear. Despite being scrawny to the point of emaciation, he staggered the detective and slipped through Danny's fingers, fleeing for the door.

Groaning, Danny straightened up and ran after the youth, catching him in the corridor by one arm. The kid whirled and threw another punch at Danny and this time managed to bloody his nose. Danny was seriously hacked off by now, and pushed the kid against the wall, handcuffing him while doing. "You're under arrest," he told the kid as he searched him. "Assault of a police officer just to start with and…" His questing fingers found a small packet in the kid's pants pocket and he pulled it out. "Possession of a prohibited substance." Danny put a finger in and gingerly tested the contents. "Heroin," he surmised.

"Detective Williams!" The voice was reproving and Danny glanced up to see the head nurse glaring at him. Her expression changed when she saw the blood on his face. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, fine," Danny agreed distractedly. He had to get the kid out of there, but he also had to wait to see if the other youth would survive surgery. "Do you have a tissue?" he asked and the nurse kindly brought him a box of tissues and some ice. Dragging the kid back into the small room, Danny brought the bleeding under control while he debated what to do.

He didn't have to debate long. There was a knock on the door and a doctor entered the room. "Detective Williams, I'm Dr McKenzie. I was operating on the GSW victim."

"How is he?" Danny asked, but the sinking feeling in his stomach told him he was not going to like the answer.

"I'm afraid he died on the table," McKenzie replied. "There was too much damage, he had lost too much blood and the infection he had contracted was virulent. Those factors combined were too much for his system. From what we could see, he was also a junkie. I ordered blood tests and the retrieved bullet is waiting for your orders."

"Thank you," Danny replied, although his heart had sunk at the news. He had killed someone and every time, it was a horrible shock. "Do you have a phone I can use?" He asked the doctor to stay with the kid while he went out to phone the office and report what had happened to Steve. Feeling rather sick, he returned to the room to wait for Steve's arrival.


	4. Chapter 4

"I thought I told you to stay in the office?" Steve asked as he arrived at the hospital. Danny was leaning on the wall outside a small room and he looked tired and distressed to Steve's discerning eye.

"Someone had to come here," Danny responded, knowing that Steve was not really annoyed with him, despite the tart tone. He pushed away from the wall. "I didn't know that I was going to be attacked by a gang member, did I?"

There were still a few traces of blood on Danny's face from the nose bleed. "Are you all right?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Danny assured him. "A couple of bruises and a bloody nose, but I'm fine, honestly. The kid is inside. He's not saying anything helpful, but he sure has a vocabulary of cuss words." Danny produced the bag of heroin and handed it over. "He was carrying this."

Like Danny had done, Steve tested the contents with his finger. "Heroin?" he suggested.

"That's what I thought," Danny agreed. "The doctor who operated is bringing me the bullet and he took blood samples as well. They can go to Che for analysis. The doctor thinks the kid who died was a junkie, too. Lots of track marks," he amplified.

"Do we have a name?" Steve asked briskly.

"Not for either for them," Danny replied. "I know we'll find that it was my bullet that killed that kid."

"We don't know that for sure," Steve countered. "There were a few of you shooting and remember that they were trying to kill you. You shot in self-defence."

"Yeah, I know," Danny sighed. He straightened and attempted to push away the discomfort in his gut that he always felt when he took a life. He knew he would never get used to doing so, but he couldn't afford to let the knowledge consume him. He was a cop with a job to do. He regretted the loss of life, but he had to move on. It was much more easily said than done. "Ready to meet Mr Charming?" he joked.

"More than ready," Steve agreed and entered the small room.

Studying the youth sitting in there, Steve felt a mixture of contempt and pity. The kid showed signs of months of hard drug use, yet he was probably no more than 18 or 19. As someone who practiced self-discipline every day of his life, Steve could not understand how someone could willingly take drugs that they knew would change their behaviour and ultimately lead to addiction and the downward spiral that caused. This kid's life was ruined. He would go to jail, even if only for a short time, and things would never be the same for him again. If he managed to escape falling back into the same trap, he would find that good jobs were hard to come by because of his record and life would be a struggle. He should be thinking about college and a career, not where his next hit was coming from. The pathetic picture this kid painted made Steve even more determined to get the mastermind behind this gang.

"What's your name?" he asked and was met by a torrent of swearing. Beside him, he saw Danny wince slightly. His friend had already tried this and received the same results. "All right, if that's how you want to play this, that's what we'll do. Book him, Danno. Carrying a prohibited substance and assault of a police officer. Get him downtown."

"Right, Steve." Danny had expected the order. He took the kid by the arm. "Let's go, kid."

"You'll get nothin' outta me, pig!" the kid spat as Danny led him past McGarrett. He attempted to kick the top man in the shins, but Danny was alert for that kind of move thanks to past experience and yanked the kid out of reach.

"Charming," Steve commented under his breath and watched Danny wrestle the suspect away.

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Booking the kid in at HPD was another nightmare. He fought and twisted against Danny and the HPD officer who was trying to fingerprint him. They finally got it done, but at a cost in bruises and scrapes. The kid was getting jittery as his high wore off and Danny wasn't sure if it was worth trying to question him now, or wait a little longer until he was really desperate. "Can you run his prints for me?" Danny asked the booking sergeant. "We need to know who he is."

"Sure thing," the sergeant agreed. "I'll get someone on to it now. You gonna talk to him now?"

"Yeah," Danny decided. Get it over with – assuming the kid would talk to him. The recalcitrant suspect was taken into an interrogation room and the handcuffs removed. "What's your name, kid?" Danny asked. His only reply was the kid spitting at him.

After an hour of fruitless work, Danny had the youth taken to a cell. He had not had a single answer from him, apart from some cursing and spitting. He was now starting to come down from the high he had been on earlier and Danny knew that his suffering would really start in a few hours. He shuffled the responsibility off onto the custody sergeant for the time being, but knew they would have to do something for the youth soon.

Walking out into the balmy afternoon, Danny felt soiled and dirty after his contact with the youth. The death of the other young man was heavy on his spirit, too. He hated taking a life; it was the part of his job that he found the most difficult. He leaned against his car for several minutes, soaking in the warm sun, allowing it to soothe his soul.

Finally, he slid behind the wheel and returned to the palace.


	5. Chapter 5

"You look tired," Steve observed as he leaned on the partition of Danny's cubicle.

"I'm all right," Danny denied. It had been a long day, but his tiredness was most mental rather than physical. Apart from the minor altercation with the kid at the hospital, mostly he had been waiting or doing paperwork.

"Did you get anything from that junkie you arrested?" Steve asked. He had been sequestered in his office since Danny got back, talking with the Attorney General about a case that was going to trial the following week.

"Not even a name," Danny sighed. "HPD is running his prints, but it takes time."

"We'll get something out of him," Steve vowed. "You did well catching him, aikane."

As always, the praise warmed Danny's heart and made him feel better. This case had been frustrating them all and now they had a break, even if nothing had come of it yet. Danny felt some of his weariness lift. "Thanks, Steve."

"Danno, I'd like you to do me a favour," Steve went on. "Could you run this list over to the Governor?" It's the approved journalists for the ball in 10 days' time. I promised it earlier today, but there was a last-minute change in one of the reporters a TV station had chosen which held things up."

"Sure," Danny agreed, although playing messenger wasn't something he did very often.

"And when you've done that, go home," Steve ordered. "The last couple of days have been busy for you." He held up a hand to stem the automatic protest of 'I'm fine'. "Get a good night's sleep, because tomorrow might well be the day we blow this case wide open." Steve did not say that it was an order, but his tone left Danny in no doubt. It was easier to capitulate than to argue.

"Don't stay too late," Danny chided lightly. "Good night, Steve."

"Good night, Danno." Steve made no promises about leaving early, Danny noted wryly as he left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a little unusual for the Governor to be working at his desk into the evening. More often than not, any work he undertook in the evening was in the form of a dinner, reception or ball. It looked like a glamorous life from the outside, but Danny knew from experience that working all day then chatting politely with the dignitaries until late into the night and being back at your desk at your usual time the next morning was not all it was cracked up to be.

The secretarial staff were all long gone, but the Governor's personal security was there and, with a brisk knock, admitted Danny into the governor's presence. "Ah, good evening, Danny, come in and sit down. Drink? No? I'm glad to see you looking so well given the initial reports yesterday. Do you know Paul Merrick?"

Blinking, for the Governor was rarely as effusive as that, Danny focused on the other man in the room. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Danny replied, extending his hand to the tall, grey-haired man who sat by the desk nursing a whisky. "Dan Williams; Five-O."

"I know who you are, Williams," Merrick replied curtly. He gave Danny's hand a very brief shake.

"Sit down, Danny," the Governor said, heartily – too heartily Danny thought. "So how are you really?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Danny knew that his nose was red and slightly swollen, but he considered himself lucky to be showing no signs of developing a couple of black eyes. He didn't want to go into the details of yesterday's shoot-out in front of a member of the public, even if the man in question was a pal of the Governor's. "Steve asked me to bring over the list of approved reporters for next week. There was a last-minute change, which is why it is late."

"Excellent, thank you." Jameson took the slim file and placed it in his 'in' box. Danny started to rise. "No, no, don't rush off," the Governor chided. Danny wondered how many glasses of whisky the Governor had had that evening, as he appeared to be slightly drunk. Generally, the Governor drank very little in public. Danny had never even seen him slightly tipsy. "Sure you won't have a drink? So – tell us about yesterday. What exactly happened?"

That request placed Danny in an awkward position. Ultimately, the Governor had the right to know all the details of Five-O's work, but members of the public rarely got to hear everything. How could he satisfy the Governor without saying too much? He knew that Steve wanted to keep the worry of a potential leak to himself.

It seemed the Governor divined his hesitation and the reasoning behind it. "You can speak freely in front of Paul," Jameson insisted. "You won't say anything, will you, Paul?"

"Of course not, Paul," Merrick replied and the two men shared a smile. Danny wondered how awkward it could be to have a friend who shared your name. There were certainly too many Pauls in that room for Danny's taste right then. There was something in Merrick's tone that told Danny the older man was enjoying the detective's discomfort.

"I can't go into too many details, as we are still waiting for forensic results and are following up on several leads," Danny declared firmly and gave a bare outline of the shoot-out and its aftermath.

"From the news reports yesterday, I thought you were at death's door," Merrick commented slyly. "But I suppose the TV stations have a duty to make Five-O sound heroic instead of useless."

"A little blood goes a long way," Danny responded neutrally. "Obviously it looked worse than it was." He was offended by Merrick's remark but the last thing he needed to do was make a scene.

To his intense irritation, the Governor laughed, as though the remark was meant as a joke. As far as Danny was concerned, it was anything but a joke. He knew he had to get out of that room before his temper got the better of him. Rising, he said, "If you'll excuse me, Governor, I have another commitment this evening." He nodded to Merrick. "Mr Merrick."

He left before Jameson could object and for the second time that day, he found himself leaning on his car, trying to calm himself down. When he finally slipped into the vehicle, he thought an early night was just what the doctor had ordered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the radio squawked out his call sign, Steve was almost at home. He sighed slightly before responding, hoping that it was nothing important.

"The fingerprints you wanted matched have come back," reported the evening custody sergeant. Steve silently wondered why this information could not have waited until the morning. "The kid's name is Mark Richards; his father owns an import/export company working out of Pearl City. Mark's been arrested before for fighting but got let off with a slap on the wrist."

"Thanks," McGarrett replied. He definitely didn't think that information was worth bothering him with at this time of night, but what followed certainly did.

"He's deep into withdrawal and wants to make a deal with Danny to get help," the sergeant went on. "He'll tell you what he knows if he gets help to come off the drugs."

"I'll be right there," Steve agreed. He quickly spun the wheel and headed the vehicle back towards the HPD lock-up. He requested dispatch contact Danny. The Richards kid had been his arrest after all. This could be the break they were waiting for.


	6. Chapter 6

It was clear to everyone that Mark Richards was in a bad way. His already pale face was now a sickly green shade and beads of sweat stood out on his brow. He shivered uncontrollably and every now and then he doubled over, clutching his stomach as cramps hit him. It wasn't pretty. Conflicted emotions warred within Danny. He was sorry that the boy was clearly feeling so ill, but his sympathy was muted by the fact he had done this to himself and had also sold the drugs to others, knowing what could happen.

"What do you want to tell me?" he asked, his tone cold.

"If you… promise to help me… I'll tell you where I … get the gear," Mark whispered. He lifted the glass of water he had with a shaking hand and took a couple of sips.

"All right, I can do that," Danny agreed. "Now talk."

While he waited for the boy to take the first step and actually start speaking, Danny decided that he didn't mind being hauled out of bed for this. When the phone had rung and woken him, he had actually thought about not answering it, or ignoring the summons he knew would come. He was more than glad he hadn't taken either of those actions now.

"I get the drugs from Akoni Sato." Richards took another gulp of water. A fresh round of shivering caused him to spill half of it down his chin. He didn't seem to notice. "I meet him every morning… at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace… just after mass ends. I give him my takings… and I get my stuff for the day and… the stuff to sell."

"What time is mass?" Danny asked, disgusted that this kind of thing was going in the grounds of the cathedral.

"It's at 6.30am," Richards replied. "I meet him at 7.30, after he comes out."

"Sato is a Catholic?" Danny blurted, stunned. How could someone who purported to be a Christian be selling drugs and doing so after attending mass?

"I guess so," Richards replied indifferently. "Please – help me?"

"A couple more questions first," Danny countered. "How much do you pull in each day?"

"A few thousand," Richards admitted. "Two or three most days. Sometimes as much as five gees."

"Where does Sato live?" was the next question.

"I dunno," the youth replied. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow with his shirt sleeve. "I only ever meet him at the cathedral. Please…"

"One more," Danny promised. "Did you know the stuff you're selling is cut with arsenic?"

"What?" Richards looked completely blank – and rather horrified, Danny thought. "What does that mean?"

Shaking his head and indicating to the HPD officer outside to let the ambulance attendants in, Danny wondered if Akoni Sato had given his pushers purer heroin than he was selling to the general public. No doubt the hospital would find out, but either way, Mark Richards was in for a miserable time for the foreseeable future. He watched as the attendants gave Richards something which calmed him down and wiped the palms of his hands down his pants legs. Dealing with junkies always made him feel uneasy and dirty.

"Akoni Sato," Steve mused as Danny joined him. "Does the name ring any bells for you?"

"Not Akoni Sato," Danny admitted. "But I do vaguely remember another Sato from my HPD days. He was mixed Japanese-Hawaiian descent, too. I can't quite bring it to mind…" He closed his eyes to try and produce the memory.

With unusual patience, Steve waited while Danny sorted through his memories. They were both tired, Steve more so than Danny at the moment. Danny had had a couple of hours of sleep; Steve had yet to get to bed that night and it was already past midnight. He knew that pushing Danny would not help the thought process. Memory was an elusive thing.

"Got it!" Danny declared and allowed a small grin to cross his face. "It was one of my first arrests. Ikaia Sato committed a string of robberies in Waikiki and several of his victims were badly hurt. It was just chance that I caught him," Danny went on modestly. "I'd been called out to another store for something completely different and when I went out into the alley at the back, I literally ran right into him."

As Danny spoke, Steve was recalling the arrest. Five-O had not yet been brought on to the case, but he remembered the arrest. Ikaia Sato was a big guy and had put up a fight. The rookie cop – Danny – had had several minor injuries that had required stitching and – if Steve was recalling correctly – a broken bone. "Didn't you break something in that arrest?" he asked.

Flushing, Danny nodded, looking down. "Yeah, he broke my wrist," he admitted. It had been quite an experience for the rookie cop. Danny had been on the job only a couple of months and would never have been involved with something as serious as those store robberies. He had received a ton of praise, a commendation for bravery and his feet had been set on the fast-path for promotion.

"How long did Sato get?" Steve asked.

"Five to 10 for the robberies and another four years for beating me to a pulp," Danny recalled. "He was about five years into his stretch when he got involved in a fight with another prisoner and he was stabbed to death."

"Do you think there's a relationship between Ikaia and Akoni?" Steve asked.

"I don't know, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't," Danny admitted. He yawned.

"Let HPD look for the link," Steve suggested. "You go and get some more sleep and I'll meet you for mass at 6.30am."

"I'm not a Catholic," the younger man objected mildly.

"And I'm not practicing," Steve replied. "6.30, aikane."

"6.30," Danny agreed. It was going to be a short night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was 6.20am when Danny and Steve arrived at the cathedral. Despite the early hour, there was a steady stream of parishioners entering the cathedral. Danny allowed Steve to go first. He had never been in a Catholic church before and was not at all sure of the etiquette. He used the holy water and genuflected to the altar and listened with interest as the mass started, although all the while, he was looking around to see if he could spot Akoni Sato. HPD had come through with a record for him and it was no surprise to learn that he was the younger brother of Ikaia Sato. As befitted a Catholic family, there were about eight children and most of them had had some encounter with the law.

As the faithful rose to take Communion, Danny spotted their target. He nudged Steve, who followed his second's discreet pointing and saw the tall man going forward. Steve's lip curled in contempt. Sato presented the appearance of a devout man – but how could he truly be that devout when he was selling drugs on the street; drugs that were cut with a deadly poison?

Now that they had their eye on their mark, the two detectives had little patience for the remaining prayers and hymns. Danny was rather surprised at the speed at which the priest raced through the mass. The responses were lost on him, although he did recognise the Our Father and Hail Mary. Like Steve, he did not go forward to receive the sacrament. It was all very different to his church experience and he thought that perhaps he might return another time to take it all in when he was working. The cathedral was beautiful and he would have liked to have had a closer look at it.

As the mass came to an end, he and Steve slipped out and took up positions as inconspicuously as possible, watching for Sato to leave. People exited the church slowly, gathering in small groups to talk before drifting off in various directions, presumably to go to work or head somewhere for breakfast first. At the thought of food, Danny's stomach rumbled. He had not eaten anything that morning, just drunk some coffee to start his day. Food was definitely on the agenda after this.

A subtle signal from Steve caught his attention and Danny spotted Sato casually walking around the side of the cathedral. The few trees that stood by the cathedral would give him enough cover from the casual glance of passers-by, but didn't allow the detectives much cover. Danny drifted a few feet over, keeping his eyes on the suspect. They had to catch him actually dealing.

A scruffy kid detached himself from the sidewalk where he had been sitting and walked quickly up the side of the cathedral. The parishioners were dispersing quite fast now and Danny knew that before too long, he and Steve would be very obvious. If only he had thought to bring a newspaper or something to hide behind.

It seemed that Sato was confident that doing business in the open meant he was hiding in plain sight. Perhaps he was, Danny reflected, as the tall man took something from the smaller man and then gave him something in return. That was it! The deal had gone down! The detectives stepped forward.

At once, Sato's head came up and Danny was running even before their suspect had made a break for it. The smaller guy, caught unawares, hesitated and Steve had no problem in grabbing him. He quickly locked one handcuff around the guy's wrists and looked around frantically for somewhere to park him while he went after Danny and Sato. There was a metal garbage can embedded in the concrete sidewalk a few feet away and Steve made short work of leaving the youth there as he raced after Danny. He hoped that nothing would happen to his friend before he caught up with them.


	7. Chapter 7

For a guy of his size, Sato was surprisingly fleet of foot. He darted past the back of the cathedral and headed into the still-light traffic on Bishop Street. Ironically enough, he was heading in the general direction of the Iolani Palace and a thought that he wouldn't have far to take Sato for questioning flitted through Danny's mind. "Stop! Police!" he shouted and thought how stupid that was. Sato knew who was chasing him!

The big man did not even look back. Danny pushed himself to run a bit faster. They couldn't afford to lose this guy. He was the next step up on the rung from Richards and might even be able to finger the boss man himself! It was imperative that he catch this guy – alive!

Ahead of him, Sato stumbled, catching himself before he fell, but the momentary clumsiness allowed Danny the change to lessen the gap between them. With one last surge of power, Danny leapt at the bigger man and tackled him around the knees, taking him to the ground.

Any hopes that Danny might have had that this manoeuvre might wind Sato were quashed instantly. Sato twisted his upper body around, rising off the ground to make a grab for the nearest part of Danny – his head. Danny frantically twisted away whilst trying to maintain his hold on Sato's legs. Neither of them was quite successful in their endeavours. Sato missed Danny's hair but caught hold of his shoulder and Danny's grip around Sato's legs slipped. Danny knew that any moment, he was going to find himself in a fight that would be decidedly in favour of the bigger, heavier guy.

With a mighty heave, Sato broke Danny's hold on his legs and almost ripped the shoulder out of Danny's jacket. The detective felt himself moving and took the initiative, bringing his right hand up in a hard rabbit punch to Sato's wrist. The blow landed dead on target, more from luck than judgement, Danny had to admit, but it had little discernible effect. Sato's grip barely wavered and Danny was still moving, being drawn closer to the big man's chest and a place where he would be in the most danger of receiving a real beating.

However, neither of them had counted Steve McGarrett into this mix. Steve raced around the corner and realised that Danny was in trouble. Without slowing his headlong pace, Steve drew his weapon and bellowed, "Five-O! Hold it right there!"

His warning had as little effect as Danny's had had, if you considered the required result being the suspect giving himself up to police custody and questioning. It did galvanise Sato, who yanked harder on Danny's jacket and managed to get himself into a sitting position with the smaller, slighter, detective clutched in front of him like a shield.

That was a move that was to the liking of neither Five-O man. Steve skidded to a halt, unable to take a shot without the very real risk of shooting his closest friend. Danny detested being used like that and vowed silently that he was not going to be a passive prisoner. To back up that vow, he immediately elbowed Sato hard in the stomach.

Clutching Danny with both hands, Sato had not had the chance to go for his weapon. He was taken by surprise when Danny elbowed him and his grip slackened. Danny used that second to twist free, throwing a punch into Sato's face. The bigger man was taken by surprise once again and when he looked up, he found himself staring into the guns of two very annoyed Five-O officers. Wisely, he slowly put up his hands. Steve nodded to Danny and Danny, obedient to the silent command, walked carefully around their prisoner and cuffed him.

Together, they hauled Sato to his feet and while Steve read him his rights, Danny frisked him and found he was carrying about $4000 in cash and several small packets of drugs that probably had a street value of more than Danny earned in a year. After showing them to Steve, Danny pocketed the haul and they started walking back to Steve's car.

"Are you all right, Danno?" Steve asked, looking sideways at his officer.

"Absolutely fine," Danny assured him. His pants had grass stains on the knees and the left shoulder of his suit jacket was crumpled and slightly dirty, but he was completely unhurt. He might be a little sore on the following day, but right now, he felt no pain. "Sorry I messed up back there."

"Well, I might argue with your style, but I can't say anything against your results," Steve replied, gesturing to Sato, who kept his face stony.

Surprised, Danny let out a short laugh. "I guess not," he agreed and they grinned at each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rush hour was well under way as they drove the few blocks to the Palace. They would almost certainly have been faster to walk it, but if things went the way they wanted, they would need the car later in the day. McGarrett was positively buoyant. He sensed that they were making real progress in this case and Sato was a much bigger fish than Richards.

Back at the Palace, Steve took a tentative taste of the packets of drugs, identifying cocaine as well as heroin. They were rushed down to the lab for Che Fong to start working on. The drugs they had taken from Richards had been confirmed as the same basic components as the drugs found on the streets, but the arsenic was only a trace, not the bulk of the powder. Che was confident that it was produced in the same drugs factory, wherever that might be.

"You might as well talk," Steve advised Sato, who sat silently, not even volunteering his name. "We know who you are and you're going to go down regardless. Perhaps we might be able to make a deal if you help us out."

A dirty look was his only reply and Steve returned it with full force. His heart had almost stopped when Sato started using Danny as a shield; he had been unaware that Sato was unarmed. He was more than thankful that the suspect had not had the chance to grab Danny's gun. "Check him for signs of use," Steve ordered Danny.

There were no needle marks on Sato's arms, behind his knees or even between his toes. A blood test was ordered and the sample obtained taken down to the lab to be analysed. During the whole thing, Sato kept silent. Steve found his silence frustrating. Why couldn't Sato see that he was cornered? He was going to go down for selling illegal drugs and with the quantity he had had on his person, he wasn't going to get a piddling couple of years.

Leaving Sato to stew for a while, Steve retreated to his office to check the overnight reports from HPD, hoping against hope that there wouldn't be another drug related death. It was, to his dismay, the first thing he saw on the reports. A young girl, no more than 21, had been found on the street. Despite getting her to hospital as fast as they could, she had died shortly after being admitted. Steve quelled the impulse to call Bergman. He knew the coroner would get the autopsy results to him as soon as he could.

Galvanised by the news, Steve returned to the interrogation room. Danny was leaning against the wall, watching Sato closely. Their suspect was leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed, giving the impression that he was dozing. Anger flared through Steve. Who did this guy think he was? Taking two quick steps, Steve slammed his hand down on the table just inches from the suspect, who jumped in a most satisfactory manner.

"The charges against you have just increased to murder one," Steve told him venomously. "A girl you sold drugs to died last night. I know that the drugs we're going to find in her system match the drugs we took from you this morning. That means you sold them to her and you're going down for murder one." Straightening from his position right in the suspect's face, Steve glanced at Danny. "Book him for murder one as well, Danno," he ordered. "And get this scum out of my sight. He's going away for good."

Although Danny knew that getting murder one for this crime would be difficult at best, he didn't let any doubts show on his face. However, it seemed that Sato did not know this. He paled and as Danny jerked him to his feet, he let out a sound that could only be categorised as a squeak. "You can't do that," he blustered, sounding completely terrified.

"No?" Steve drawled contemptuously. "Just watch me." He jerked his head and Danny took the hint, grasping Sato's arm firmly just above the elbow.

"No! Please!" Sato begged and Steve felt a thrill of revulsion at the suspect's obvious fear, even while he exulted that he might be going to achieve his objective. "I'll tell you everything I know."

"Everything?" Steve asked, pushing all his loathing for this low-life into his tone.

"Everything," Sato assured him, abject fear evident in his voice.

For a long moment, Steve paused, eyeing the distressed man in front of him. Warning flags rose in his mind. Sato was giving in too easily. Was this confession genuine, or was there more to this than met the eye? There was only one way to find out and Steve could not afford to brush off what he was about to be told, but he would be double and triple checking any information this man gave them. "All right," he allowed and Sato sighed in relief.


	8. Chapter 8

"How's it going?" Steve leaned in to Danny's cubicle, nursing a fresh cup of coffee.

Looking up from the pile of paper in front of him, Danny sighed heavily. "So far so good," he replied. "It's pretty slow going, but so far all the names we've been given check out. They all have records and I have HPD looking for them. HPD think they might have caught someone already."

"Good," Steve grunted. "Any word from the lab?"

"Just in," Danny nodded. He picked up one of the myriad pieces of paper on his desk. "Che says the heroin and cocaine are matches for the deadly batch already circulating. Sato's blood came back positive for coke, but only a low dose. He doesn't have any heroin in his system, so he's not hooked on that."

"You get on down to HPD and take a look at the guy they brought in," Steve ordered. "I'll get Chin and Kono to carry on working on these names. I thought Sato might be playing us for fools, but I'm beginning to believe he was telling us the truth. I don't get it though; he acted really scared. Why?"

"I don't know," Danny admitted, shrugging into his suit jacket. "But I wonder if it had something to do with his brother's death in prison. If everything Sato told us is true, he's been quietly working away on the wrong side of the law and managed not to get caught too often or for anything serious. I want to speak to his family, too, so after I've been to HPD, I'll go on out to the house and see who is home."

"All right," Steve agreed. "Keep me updated."

"Sure," Danny nodded and walked out into the balmy afternoon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The description that Danny and Steve had issued of the second suspect from that morning had been sketchy at best, but HPD's finest had come up trumps and actually arrested the right youth. Skinny, pale and with needle marks on his arms, this was clearly another junkie who also peddled drugs on the side to keep up their habit. It was a sordid story, but one that was becoming all too familiar. Danny made sure that he was correctly booked and that he got a copy of the youth's record and arrest report to take back with him to add to their growing pile of evidence. He made a quick phone call to update Steve as promised, then headed off to the outskirts of town, to one of the poorer areas.

The house that was Sato's address was one of the more run-down homes in the already run-down neighbourhood. Danny parked the LTD in front of it and cast a knowledgeable eye over the home, absorbing all the details that he could.

The small front yard was of hard-baked dirt. A few blades of sturdy grass pushed their way through, but they were few and far between. There were some broken, dirty toys scattered on the ground and one pane of glass in the right-hand window was boarded up with some cardboard. A line of washing was hung down one side of the house and the clothes had seen better days.

Crossing the small yard, Danny knocked on the door. It was opened a few moments later by one of the largest women Danny had ever seen. She was at least 6 feet tall and very fat. Her bosom was roughly at Danny's eye level and it took him a second or two to draw his eyes away from the vast apron-covered expanse. Mrs Sato was handsome but with a hard expression and dark, leathery-looking skin that showed how tough a life she had led. "Yeah?" she asked indifferently.

"Detective Williams, Five-O," Danny introduced himself, flashing his badge. "I've come to talk to you about your son, Akoni."

"You the one who arrested him?" Mrs Sato asked, her tone still flat.

"Yes," Danny agreed warily.

"Better come in." The woman turned her back and walked into the noisome house and Danny, with a deep breath of the sweet, clean air outside, followed. "Sit down," she said and pointed towards a plain hard chair.

The inside of the dwelling matched the outside. The walls were stained and dirty, the curtains hung raggedly at the windows and there was an incredibly strong smell of cabbage and urine. There were a couple of doors that led off towards the back of the house and Danny guessed that there were bedrooms back there.

"Mrs Sato, Akoni has been arrested and charged with selling drugs. He has also being using cocaine. Were you aware of either of these activities?"

"My boy has nothing to do with drugs," Mrs Sato told Danny haughtily. "He would never do such a thing."

The denial did not come as a surprise. Danny knew that she had always claimed that Akoni had not done whatever crime it was he had been arrested for. So far, her faith had always been wrong. This time was no exception. "I witnessed him selling drugs myself," Danny replied gently. "He had been at early morning mass in the cathedral and met one of his pushers just outside when mass had finished."

"That's a lie!" Mrs Sato was on her feet, her face flushed with anger, all the indifference gone. "My Akoni would never defile the church by taking drugs in there or selling them on the grounds! He's a good boy! He would never do that."

Also on his feet, although he had no recollection of rising, Danny reiterated, "We saw him selling the drugs to another young man, who we also arrested. Akoni was carrying drugs worth thousands of dollars."

"You're a liar!" Mrs Sato shouted, whirled around and grabbed the nearest implement – the cast iron frying pan.

As he ducked, Danny felt the heavy object distort the air over his head. There was no point in saying anything else; he had clearly hit a nerve with the idea that Akoni would defile mass, even though that was exactly what he had done.

"You people killed my other boy by locking him up," Mrs Sato yelled, going after the retreating detective. "I warned Akoni to be careful! I warned him what I would do if I found him messing with drugs. He wouldn't do that! You're lying! Tell me the truth!" She swung the frying pan again. Danny ducked and this time felt the very edge strike his shoulder. It was time – more than time! – to get out of there. He made a dive for the door and all but fell through it as the frying pan crashed off the door jamb, sending a shower of splinters into the air.

Reaching the car, Danny jumped in, turned the key and peeled away, hoping that nobody had seen his ignominious departure from the Sato residence. In the rear-view mirror, he saw Mrs Sato standing at her gate, the frying pan still in her hand, glaring after him. More shaken than he wanted to admit, Danny absently rubbed his shoulder where she had caught him and grimaced at the feel of the grease now soaking into the fabric of his suit. That he was going to have a bruise there was the last of his worries. He had no idea what kind of greasy stuff had been in that pan, but he had the nasty, sneaking suspicion that it spelled the end of the working life for his suit jacket.

Sighing, he pointed his car in the direction of the Palace. That was the safest place he knew right now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX

"What happened to you this time?" Steve enquired, seeing the new greasy marks on Danny's much-abused jacket.

"Mrs Sato," Danny replied cryptically, and stripped off his jacket, glaring at the offending stain. He tossed the jacket down on the back of one of the white leather chairs and sank into the seat, sighing heavily.

Concerned by Danny's behaviour, Steve took a seat on the corner of his desk. "Well?" he asked, visually appraising his colleague and seeing no signs of injury.

"I think I know what Sato is afraid of, and it isn't prison," Danny answered. "It's his mother."

"His mother?" Steve frowned, puzzled. "Why, exactly? What happened out there?"

"When I told her that Sato had been caught dealing drugs outside the cathedral immediately after mass ended, she took exception to the notion. She took even more exception to the idea that he had attended mass first with the drugs in his possession. He's a good boy, don't you know, and would never do such a thing. When I insisted that he had done just that, she came after me with the cast iron frying pan! She missed me by inches."

The aggrieved expression on Danny's face and the tone with which he told the story made Steve laugh aloud, but after a moment, he sobered. "Are you hurt?" he asked, aware that his solicitousness came a beat too late.

"No," Danny denied. "I'll have a bruise tomorrow, but my jacket took the brunt of it all." Danny thought he might already have a bruise.

"Did you arrest her?" Steve wanted to know.

Colour crept up his friend's neck and stained his face. "No, I didn't even try," he admitted. "Steve, she would have given Kono a good run for his money!" At the expression on his boss's face, he added, "Go ahead and laugh! If I was in Sato's shoes, I'd be terrified of her, too! In fact, I'm not in his shoes and I'm terrified of her! She's one big scary wahine!"

"Danno…" Steve was still struggling not to laugh.

Even though he knew that there was a funny side to the story, Danny was still too close to the actual episode to relax. He got to his feet and snatched up the offending jacket. "Trust me," he shot at Steve. "If she had connected with my head, I would not be sitting here right now. I'd be on that slab in Bergman's morgue." He didn't wait for a reply, but stalked out and slammed the door resoundingly behind him.

Taken aback as he always was by Danny's flashes of temper, Steve replayed the words in his head. Danno had started out to make the report sound humourous, but it had quickly changed from humour to deadly truth. Mrs Sato could have killed Danny if he had not had such quick reflexes and Steve had laughed. A cast iron frying pan would indeed have been a deadly weapon. Sobered, Steve got to his feet and went in search of his friend to apologise.


	9. Chapter 9

There was what could only be called an atmosphere in the outer office. Since Danny had exited Steve's office only a few moments before, Steve knew that the others could not have been told the story, but clearly Danny's expression and demeanour – never mind the slammed door – had alerted them to an altercation of some kind between the chief and his second-in-command. Jenny cast him a reproachful looked, then glanced along to where Danny stood in the doorway to Chin's cubicle.

From the stiffness of Danny's posture, Steve knew his friend was well aware of his presence, but was not yet willing to face him. Steve did not grudge Danny his anger, but he didn't want to apologise in front of the rest of the staff. Humble pie was not a favourite of Steve's and he had no wish to season it with unwanted witnesses.

However, before he could even formulate an order – no; a request – for Danny to re-join him in the inner office, Danny suddenly leaned towards Chin and said loudly, "What?"

Sensing a development, Steve stepped closer. "Sato made his phone call," Chin repeated patiently. "He didn't call a lawyer; he's got a court-appointed one. He didn't call his mother either. He called Merrick Industries Incorporated."

"Who did he speak to there?" Danny asked, flashing the merest glance at Steve. Steve could send that his puzzling information excited Danny, but he had no idea why.

"According to the custody sergeant, he asked for someone called 'Paul', but was not there or wouldn't take his call." Chin was looking intently at Danny, obviously not on the same wavelength.

"Who owns Merrick Industries?" demanded Danny.

"I don't know off hand," Chin replied, "but I can easily find out."

"I can save you the trouble," Steve told him. "It's owned by a man called Paul Merrick. He's a big supporter of the Governor. Why?" Danny seemed even more excited than before and Steve was even more puzzled.

"Well, it might just be a coincidence," Danny ventured, "but I met Paul Merrick in the Governor's office the other night when you sent me over with that list, Steve. He was trying to find out about the case and he was pretty scathing about Five-O." The look Danny gave Steve told him that Danny's fit of temper was past and his second was formulating a theory. "I don't believe in coincidences," Danny added, quoting Steve.

"Nor do I," Steve agreed slowly, "but I think you might be stretching things there, aikane." That was not what Danny wanted to hear or even what Steve wanted to say, but he really could not see any glimmer of a connection. "By all means look into it, of course, but I'm sure there's more than one person called Paul who works there."

Deflated, Danny was not prepared to let go of his suspicions just yet. Something had been sparked by this connection, however unlikely Steve thought it. "I aim to find out who Sato was calling and why," he replied stiffly, reminding Steve that he had to fix things between them before any more time passed.

"Danno…"

"Steve – Dr Berman for you on line one," Jenny interrupted.

Frustrated, but knowing that he had to take this call, Steve returned to his office to get the autopsy report on their latest victim. By the time he was finished, Danny was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So what's going on between Steve and Danny now?" Jenny asked Chin after Danny took his abused jacket and left the office with a face like thunder.

"You got me," Chin admitted, chomping on the stem of his unlit pipe. "But Danny sure was mad."

"I think he was as much hurt as mad," Jenny corrected thoughtfully.

"It'll blow over," Chin predicted. "It always does."

"I suppose," the secretary agreed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Danny's first stop after leaving the office was his apartment, where he picked up another jacket so he at least looked clean. He was still smarting a bit over Steve laughing at him, but not as much as he had been earlier. His sense of humour was slowly coming to the fore and he could see why Steve had found the situation funny. He knew he owed Steve an apology for storming out and slamming the door.

Feeling tidier, he headed for Merrick Industries. The offices took up several floors of a large, modern office block downtown. The marble floor of the foyer gave off a nauseatingly bright glow in the sun and it was cooled to almost arctic chill by the a/c. The receptionist flashed him a professionally disinterested smile. "How may I help you, sir?" she asked.

Flashing his badge, Danny replied, "Could I speak to someone in personnel? I need to find out how many people called Paul work here."

It was hardly an ordinary request, but the receptionist didn't even blink. "One moment." She picked up the phone and dialled a number, turning away to keep the conversation private. Danny waiting, looking at the list of companies that formed Merrick Industries Inc. There were quite a few familiar names there; firms that Danny had thought were independent. There was an obviously new addition at the bottom of the board that was also somewhat familiar although Danny could not remember seeing the name before. Before he could ponder why it was familiar, the receptionist hung up and smiled at him again. "If you take the elevator to the third floor, someone will meet you there."

"Thank you," Danny replied and headed to the bank of elevators, completely forgetting about that elusively familiar firm on the board.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He was met by a middle-aged woman who introduced herself as Martha Smith, head of personnel. "How can I help you, detective?" she asked, shaking hands briskly.

"I'm following a line of enquiry," Danny explained, without really explaining anything. "I was wondering if you could tell me how many employees you have called Paul? I don't have a warrant or court order; it's just a general enquiry to clear some things up."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Mrs Smith replied. "I would need something official to open my files."

"Of course," Danny agreed. He had known it was a long shot, but it was always worth trying. "Can you tell me how many people work for Merrick Industries?"

"Oh about 550 or so off the top of my head," Mrs Smith replied proudly. "Mr Merrick is very successful."

"I can see that," Danny smiled. "Thank you for your time." It had been a faint chance and Danny could feel that hopeful spark of excitement starting to wane. Perhaps it was just a coincidence after all.

He thought so right up until the elevator doors opened a few seconds later. Paul Merrick was standing in it, smiling toothily. "Detective Williams. I heard you were in my building on official business. Were you successful in your endeavour?" The malicious undertone was there, loud and clear. He knew exactly what Danny had wanted, the detective realised. "I find it very interesting that out of all the employees in my many offshoots, I am the only Paul."

"Really? That is unusual," Danny replied casually, his heart racing at this blatant declaration. This couldn't really mean what he thought it did – could it? "Paul is quite a common name." He stepped into the elevator.

"I would suggest that whatever you are looking for, you won't find it here," Merrick went on, looking at Danny intently.

"That is for me to determine," Danny countered. "I have to follow up every lead."

"Do you really think you will find the brains behind this drug epidemic?" Merrick asked snidely. "It seems to me that he is several jumps ahead of you and you'll never catch him."

"Oh we'll get him," Danny responded confidently. "He won't get away with this for much longer. The net is closing in faster than he knows."

"I don't have your confidence in Five-O," Merrick sneered, "but I hope for your sake that you don't make too much of a fool of yourself."

"I'll take great delight in putting the cuffs on him," Danny retorted. He stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened.

"Goodbye, detective," Merrick said, not moving. "I do hope your defeat won't be too humiliating."


	10. Chapter 10

As he got into the car, Danny heard a call from HPD saying that they had surrounded an apartment building where several of the pushers that Sato had named lived. Unable to resist, Danny headed in that direction and spent the next hour or so arresting and booking nine youths. They were all carrying substantial amounts of drugs and Danny knew the lab would be kept busy analysing it. Leaving HPD to start the questioning, Danny finally headed back to the Palace.

He had barely entered the outer office when Jenny leapt to her feet with a cry and enveloped him in a rib-crushing hug. "Danny!" she cried. "You're all right!"

Perplexed, Danny returned the hug, patting her back as she clung to him. "I'm fine," he assured her. He glanced up over her shoulder as the inner office door opened and Steve shot out, concern etched on his face. Danny wondered what on earth was going on.

"Danno!" There was palpable relief in Steve's voice. "Where have you been?"

Gently disentangling himself from Jenny's arms, Danny took a few steps towards McGarrett. "I was down at HPD lock-up booking some more pushers," he replied. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Come in here," Steve urged and took Danny's arm to draw him into the office. He pointed to the desk where some photos lay. "These were hand delivered to me not more than 20 minutes ago."

Taking a step closer, Danny picked up the topmost photo and gasped, feeling the colour draining from his face. The photos were of him, taken within the last hour or two at the HPD arrest scene. In each one, someone had carefully drawn a red circle around him and added some crosshairs, as though scoping through a rifle. The one that was the most shocking was of Danny grinning at an HPD officer who was clearly saying something. The red circle centred on Danny's head and the crosshairs met right in the middle of his forehead. There was no mistaking the message. No wonder Jenny and Steve were worried.

"I've got Chin and Kono out looking for you," Steve said, his voice rough.

"Who brought these?" Danny aske through numb lips.

"A little kid who'd been paid 10 bucks to deliver them," Steve replied. "His description was vague in the extreme." He shook his head, angry that an innocent child had been utilised to deliver such a vile message. "Danno, from now on, you go nowhere without an escort."

"We don't need to tie anyone up with babysitting duties," Danny protested. He dropped the photos onto the desk. "If this is an indication that someone is out to get me, a bodyguard is no guarantee of protection against a sniper's bullet." A sharpshooter himself, Danny knew only too well how difficult it was to protect a person from a bullet. "I am not going to hide away," he added firmly before Steve could speak. "That would only make whoever this is think he had won."

Troubled, Steve knew that intellectually, Danny was right. Emotionally? That was another matter. "This is a serious threat, Danno," he pleaded softly. "We need to take it seriously."

"I know," Danny agreed. "Steve, about earlier…"

"Danno, I shouldn't have…"

"No, it was me…"

They both stopped and looked at each other. "Sorry," they blurted in unison. Steve smiled slightly. "Accepted," he nodded.

"Likewise." It was a relief to get that out of the way, Danny thought, but it didn't clear up the new problem – the photos.

"These were taken today and very recently," Steve mused, his mind also back on the threat.

"After I left Merrick Industries," Danny agreed. "Pretty quick work, but not too difficult to do when you own your own photographic shop."

Steve's attention sharpened on Danny in the manner that had initially made Danny rather uneasy when he first started working at Five-O. He was used to it now. "Merrick Industries?"

"I went there," Danny reported and told Steve all about the visit.

"Someone tipped him off that you were there," Steve agreed.

"It was probably the receptionist," speculated the younger man. "He must have rigged the elevators, thinking about it, because only that one car responded to the call button. I only just realised it." A thoughtful look crossed Danny's face. "There was something else while I was there that I can't quite put my finger one." He frowned, closing his eyes to try and visualise what was bugging him. "It was a name – a company name – but I can't quite remember…" He sighed.

"It'll come to you," Steve insisted, although he wanted Danny to remember right now. However, pushing was not the way to bring a memory to the fore. "Was the name a surprise to you?" he asked, hoping that oblique questions would help.

"Yes," Danny nodded. "A lot of the subsidiary business names at Merrick Industries were a surprise. I thought a lot of them were independent." He mentioned a well-known local coffee shop which proudly proclaimed its independent status. "Is that illegal?" he mused.

"I don't know and don't care right now," Steve replied. He looked intently at Danny, but the younger man shrugged.

"I can't remember," he admitted in frustration. "Guess I'll have to go back for another look." It wasn't quite a joke. Danny wanted to confront Paul Merrick because he was sure the man was responsible for the photos.

"Don't think about it and it'll come to you," Steve advised, ignoring the comment about going back. "I've got some updates for you. Bergman confirmed the latest victim is definitely connected to this case. Of course, we don't have any lab results from the raid yet; it's too soon." Steve wished there was a way to hurry the science along. "I also heard that Mark Richards is doing well…"

"That's it!" Danny, who had slumped down into one of the leather chairs, leapt to his feet. "That's it, Steve!"

"What?" McGarrett straightened from his position leaning on the front of his desk.

"Richards! The name! Richards' Import/Export Company." Danny looked excited. "Didn't we get told that Mark Richards' father owned an import/export company? Surely there couldn't be two companies with the same name?"

"No, there couldn't," Steve agreed. "We need to get someone down there."

The office door burst open and Chin and Kono rushed in. "Jenny told us you okay, bruddah," Kono blurted. "We were worried." His round, jovial face was creased by a frown.

"I'm fine," Danny assured them. He immediately deflected any more emotional utterances by diverting the conversation back to the case. "Weren't we told that Mark Richards' father had an import/export company?"

"That's right," Chin agreed, patting Danny's back. "Richards' Import/Export Company."

"I told you!" Danny said to Steve. "I'll go check it out."

There was no cry of denial; no overt moves, but all three detectives straightened almost imperceptibly at the statement. There was a frozen silence as Danny eyed them all. He knew exactly what each of them was going to say. "But I can't go alone," he capitulated, deflating slightly.

"I'll go with you, kaikaina," Kono offered. "Chin has to take the kids to the dentist."

"That's tomorrow," Chin growled. "Tonight its dance class."

"I'll see if I can scare up a connection between Sato and Merrick," Steve declared. "Come back here when you're finished at Richards', Danno. We'll compare notes."

As his men scattered to their various commitments, Steve reached for his jacket. He was going to have a word with Paul Merrick.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

"Mr McGarrett! This is a pleasure!" Merrick gestured to a seat in front of his impressively large desk.

Not yet ready to quibble, Steve took the indicated seat. The room was large and airy with one wall of solid glass looking out over downtown Honolulu to the glittering blue Pacific Ocean. The koa wood desk dominated the room, but it was bare apart from a phone, a blotter and two photo frames. From the angle he sat, Steve could not see what either one of them contained. The soft grey walls were also bare. The air was cooled to the point that Steve wished he had on a heavier suit.

"I understand you spoke to Detective Williams this afternoon," Steve began.

"I met him by chance," Merrick replied smoothly. "We barely spoke."

"Really? That isn't what he said in his report," Steve countered. "I came to ask if you know Akoni Sato."

"Akoni Sato?" Merrick echoed. He made a theatrical, obviously phoney, attempt to remember. "I don't know anyone of that name." The pleasant smile on his face remained fixed with no apparent effort.

"How interesting. In that case, I have to wonder why he called here and asked to speak to Paul if he doesn't know you. After all, as you boasted to Detective Williams, you are the only Paul in the company." Steve kept his tone conversational. Merrick didn't miss the subtext, though.

There was a tiny flash in Merrick's eyes. "Honestly, Mr McGarrett, I really think your detective is delusional. I never made such a ridiculous claim; I employ upwards of 500 people. How could I know all their names? I think you ought to question his veracity. As for why this other person called me company – how could I know the answer when I don't know him? Have you asked him?"

"I'm asking you," Steve retorted. "Detective Williams is neither delusional nor a liar," he went on calmly, even though he was seething at the verbal digs at his officer. "I take what he says very seriously indeed, I can assure you. I don't appreciate anyone threatening my men and rest assured; I will find the connection between Sato and this company."

Both men rose. The genial smile was gone now and Steve's internal alarm bells were clanging wildly.

"I don't appreciate threats either," Merrick shot back. "I am quite sure the Governor will not appreciate you hounding me for no reason."

"The Governor is not in charge of this investigation," Steve replied. "I am." Without a further word, Steve turned on his heel and left.

For a long moment, Merrick looked at the closed office door, then he sat down, reached for the phone and dialled a number. "Get them both," he ordered when the call was answered.

With a feline smile, he hung up and sat back to await results


	11. Chapter 11

The warehouse that was the base for Richards' Import/Export was buzzing with activity as Danny and Kono arrived. Pallets of goods were being loaded onto a truck and an overweight man, clearly the driver, was looking impatiently at his watch while smoking a cigarette.

It was easy to get into the warehouse through the main doors. While a few people looked at them, nobody challenged them and before too long, both detectives were poking around the warehouse, both secretly hoping that they would find some drugs hidden away.

They hadn't found anything interesting by the time they were challenged by a middle-aged man in a suit. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Five-O," Danny announced, flashing his badge. "We're looking for Mr Richards."

"You've found him," the man replied, looking less angry, but no less worried. "What can I do for you?"

"We're making some enquiries, sir," Danny told him. "Is there somewhere we can speak privately?" He glanced significantly at the workers moving around them.

"Yes, yes, my office," Richards agreed, looking even more worried. He led the way across the warehouse to the inevitable stairs that led up to a rather ramshackle-looking office structure. It was cluttered inside, the desk laden with paperwork. Richards sat behind it and gestured to the two hard wooden seats in front of it. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could confirm that this company is now a subsidiary of Merrick Industries Inc.?" Danny asked.

"Yes, it is," Richards confirmed in an even tone, although colour stained his neck and crept up into his face.

"Thank you." Danny refrained from glancing at Kono, but he could feel the Hawaiian detective's satisfaction oozing from every pore. "When did you sell the company?"

"Oh, a couple of months ago," Richards replied, the flushing deepening. "I was offered a good deal for it and a generous salary to continue the day-to-day running of the firm." His words were clearly practiced and sounded good, but there was no conviction behind them.

"Did Paul Merrick approach you personally?" Danny asked.

"Yes, he did. What is this about?"

"Your firm must have been doing very well to attract the attention of Paul Merrick himself," Danny said admiringly, hoping a naïve approach might make Richards open up even more.

"I was doing okay," Richards admitted cagily. "What is this about?"

"Does your son Mark know Paul Merrick?" Danny asked. He was all business now.

"No!" Richards shouted. The anger and fear on his face was unmistakable and so was the fact that he was lying. Danny pounced on it at once.

"I don't believe you," he retorted. "Did Merrick blackmail you into selling him this company? It is easy to check financial records to find out how much you were paid." It was easy, but time consuming. "Is that why the takeover was kept quiet? Because you were embarrassed that your son was a junkie? How did Merrick know that?"

"I don't know how he knew!" Richards shouted. He rose to his feet and loomed over the desk, glaring at Danny. Kono stiffened instinctively, ready to counter any move the angry man might make. "He's a shark and he's got ways of finding things out! You ask any of his other victims! Go on – do your job and find out how come he's made it so big! He threatened to tell my wife about Mark. She's sick and couldn't take the news. He used that to his advantage to steal my company and what happens? Mark gets arrested! Merrick must be laughing up his sleeve!" He glared at Danny for a moment longer, then broke eye contact and slumped down in his seat. "And if I hear you've said a single word about this to anyone, I will deny it to my dying day."

"If others have also been blackmailed, then if you band together and come to us, we can do something about it," Danny suggested. "Mr Richards, did your son every mention anyone called Akoni Sato to you?"

Blinking at the sudden change of subject, Richards took a deep breath. "Um… the name does sound a little familiar," he admitted. His focus lengthened as he thought about it. After a few moments, he blinked and looked at Danny again. "I can't quite think why, but I associate the name with Merrick. Sato… Sato. What does he look like?"

The quick description Danny gave had Richards nodding. "He's Merrick's errand boy," Richards explained. "Merrick sent Sato to me with a letter about buying the company. When I said no, Sato returned with the blackmail note about Mark's addiction. Mark was here that day and when he saw Sato, he almost passed out."

"I imagine he would," Danny agreed. "Sato was his pusher. I wonder how they met?"

"Merrick had his eye on this company for a long time," Richards said bleakly. "Maybe he engineered their meeting. Maybe he arranged for Mark to get hooked on drugs. I wouldn't put anything past him. It makes me sick any time I see him on the TV with the Governor. Just shows that politicians aren't exempt to blackmail."

That was a startling thought and one which Danny immediately wanted to follow up on. First, he wanted to speak to Sato again and ask about the connection between Sato and Merrick and Merrick and Mark Richards.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Richards," Danny said, rising. Kono stood, too. "And if you and the others you were talking about want to make a complaint, just ask for me." He handed Richards one of his cards and the detectives left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

"What do you think?" Danny asked Kono as they walked through the warehouse. "What a tangled mess!"

"You think Merrick is blackmailing the Governor?" Kono asked. It was a dreadful thought.

"No," Danny replied uncertainly. "Not yet at any rate. But perhaps he is still trying to gather something that Jameson would rather keep secret?" He sighed. "We need to alert Steve about this and he'll have to tell the Governor. I don't think it'll go down too well."

"You got a real gift for understatement, bruddah," Kono chided the shorter man. "That idea'll go down like a lead balloon."

"Guess I'd better be prepared to duck," Danny agreed ruefully. He walked towards the car, deep in thought. He could almost hear the Governor yelling at him. If by some chance Merrick was innocent of all these things, Danny's career with Five-O would be over. The Governor would make his position untenable.

"I'll drive," Kono offered, seeing that Danny's mind was on other things. He crossed in front of the younger man and opened the driver's door.

A shot pinged off the edge of the door and ricocheted away. Kono, his hand stinging from the hot metal slivers, ducked down, shouting something incoherent to Danny about ducking. The younger man, lost in thought, took a second longer to react. More shots peppered the area and Kono found himself pinned down. "Danny!" he yelled. "Danny, are you all right?"

"Yeah," Danny responded breathlessly. "You?"

"Okay." Kono had his gun drawn, but had yet to determine where the shots were coming from. Another shot pinged off the door he was sheltering behind.

"I've spotted him," Danny announced and jumped to his feet, running madly towards another building a couple of hundred yards away. There was nothing for him to use as cover as he fired a couple of times. Groaning in despair, Kono jumped up and fired in roughly that direction, careful to ensure that his shots would not hit his pupule colleague.

There was answering fire and Danny suddenly went down, rolling over, his gun falling to the ground. "Danny!" Kono yelled and abandoned the car door, knowing that he almost certainly was running to his death, but unable to leave his young friend alone out there in no-mans-land. He saw Danny roll back to his stomach and grab his gun. He fired twice. This time, there was no answering fire. Kono skidded to a halt, throwing himself over the shorter detective protectively.

"You can get off now," Danny said a few moments later, his voice muffled. "They've gone." He pushed ineffectually against the bigger man.

"Wait," Kono warned, anxious lest the gunman was waiting for them to relax. However, there was no sound, no movement from the building and Kono warily rose, heading over in that direction. The gunman was gone. Holstering his weapon, Kono jogged back to his friend who was now stretched out on his back. "Danny? You all right, bruddah?"

"I think so," Danny puffed. "I was just getting my breath back after you squashed me." He gave Kono a shaken smile.

"You hurt?" Kono asked, kneeling down beside Danny as the other man sat up.

"No, just a couple of bruises," Danny assured him. He extended a hand to get pulled to his feet and Kono quickly rose to oblige. Danny brushed the dirt off himself and reflected that it wasn't often he got as dirty as this in the course of his duties. He'd be popular with the local dry cleaners!

Seeing that Danny was completely steady on his feet, Kono went to collect the empty shell casings from the ground. Perhaps they would get a match; perhaps not, but he certainly didn't want Steve chewing him out for not doing his job properly.

Sirens were wailing in the near distance and Kono guessed that someone from the warehouse had called the police. They would have to talk to everyone who had been working there. Perhaps someone had seen something. He glanced back over his shoulder, wondering if Danny had already started questioning potential witnesses, but was startled to see the younger man leaning heavily on the car, his head down. "Danny?"

"I'm okay, really," Danny denied, lifting his head. He was pale and his features pinched.

"What hurts?" Kono asked.

"Think I must have turned my ankle," Danny told him. "It'll settle down in a minute." He didn't believe a word he was saying and it showed. The sickeningly familiar pain in his ankle told him he had a serious sprain.

"Here, sit down," Kono urged, opening the car door and helping Danny round to sit down. Kono crouched by his friend and took the indicated limb in his hand. Danny pulled up his trouser leg and Kono winced. Danny's ankle was already about three times its normal size and was still visibly swelling. "Gonna have to take your shoe off, bruddah," Kono warned him. "It's gonna hurt."

"I know." Danny bit his lip. "Just do it." His toes were already starting to go numb. He clamped his jaw tightly as Kono delicately tugged the laces of his shoes open, for the gentle touch was excruciatingly painful. As Kono slipped his shoe off, he bit down on his lip so hard that he could taste blood in his mouth. His breath came in short grunts and pants as his sock was peeled off. He was covered in a cold sweat by the time it was over.

There was no point in asking if Danny was all right, Kono thought. It was clear the younger man was in a lot of pain. He patted Danny's arm and dropped the discarded sock and shoe inside the car and got to his feet to go and meet the arriving HPD officers. Danny needed some time to recover. Kono quickly issued orders, then returned to the car. "I'm takin' you to the hospital, bruddah," Kono informed Danny in a brisk tone. "That foot needs looked at!"

"It's fine," Danny lied, his head still resting against the back of the seat. In truth, it was anything but fine, but he would rather die than admit that kind of weakness. He knew Kono would ignore him and what's more, McGarrett would be informed immediately. It was only then that Danny put two and two together and realised that the shootout they had just endured had most likely been a murder attempt and he was the victim. Of course Steve had to be told. Probably better that Danny be the one to tell him, and reassure the boss that he was fine.

Reaching for the mic, Danny was diverted by chatter coming over the radio. It wasn't to do with their shootout, but it was connected. There had been an attempted murder at the HPD lockup and Akoni Sato was on his way to hospital, not expected to live. There had been several injuries to HPD personnel, too. Pain not forgotten but subsumed, Danny glanced at Kono. "We need to get to Queens now!" he ordered.

Flipping on the lights and siren and flooring the accelerator, Kono was only too glad to obey.


	12. Chapter 12

The hospital seemed to be teeming with cops. Patrol cars littered the parking bays and uniformed officers were stationed at every door. There were more cops in the ER, but gradually, Kono realised there were not quite as many of them as he had first thought. Supporting the limping Danny, Kono made his way into the ER. It was no surprise to find Steve McGarrett already there. He had been back at the Palace, considerably closer than the two detectives. "What happened?" he asked sharply, looking at the dirt on their clothes and Danny's swollen, bare foot.

"Nothing," Danny brushed it aside. "What happened to Sato? The radio said attempted murder?"

"Someone shot at Sato through the bars of the cell," Steve reported tightly, his jaw tense with suppressed anger. "When the officers on duty went to find out what the noise was, they were shot, too." Their eyes met. "Sato isn't expected to live. I've sent for his mother. The HPD officers are hurt, but should make full recoveries."

"Can I speak to Sato?" Danny asked urgently.

"You can try," Steve replied doubtfully.

Disentangling himself from Kono's grip, Danny pushed open the door of the ER room and limped in, his ankle forgotten. "Doctor, I need to speak to Sato," he requested.

"He's rather incoherent," the doctor replied, frowning.

"It can't wait," Danny insisted and the doctor stepped back reluctantly. Danny moved to lean over the injured man on the gurney. "Akoni, its Detective Williams. Can you hear me?"

The dark, drugged eyes opened and Danny could almost see the life force ebbing out. The dying youth made a sound that Danny took as confirmation of his question. "Akoni. Who told you to get Mark Richards hooked on drugs?"

"Paul," whispered the youth.

"Paul who?" Danny wanted to shake the other man, but restrained himself. "Akoni! Paul who?"

"Paul Merrick," Sato whispered. "He owns… our…" Sato stopped speaking and closed his eyes. For a moment, Danny thought he had died, but another breath rasped in his throat.

"You need to leave now," the doctor ordered. "Is his mother here?"

"I don't know," Danny replied, elated, but also frustrated. Merrick owned – what? What was Sato about to say?

Further speculation was driven from his mind with the arrival of Mrs Sato and Danny was literally pushed aside, stumbling and almost falling as his injured ankle sprang back to life and reminded him of the damage done. He caught himself only with the help of a nurse, who took his arm as he started to leave the room. A loud wail filled the room and Danny knew that Sato had gone.

"This is your fault!" Mrs Sato shouted, brushing aside the slender nurse assisting Danny as though she was not there. Danny caught his balance, but it didn't matter. Mrs Sato took out her grief and frustration in one mighty sweep of her vast arm and Danny found himself crashing to the floor, dragging down a metal cart covered in stainless steel containers and other medical paraphernalia. It made a very loud noise, which brought everyone running inside and Danny was vaguely aware that Kono was indeed getting a run for his money with the grieving Mrs Sato as the doctor and nurses rushed to his aid. Steve, who had been pushed aside by the large woman, was there beside him in seconds.

"I'm fine," Danny protested uselessly as the doctor ordered a gurney brought and he was then lifted on to it and wheeled into another room.

"What was that about?" Steve asked as the doctor left for a few moments to speak to the grieving mother and to summon Dr Bergman at Steve's request.

As quickly and concisely as he could, Danny told Steve about their visit to Richards' warehouse and the shooting that occurred while they were leaving. Steve's face grew darker as he listened to Danny's recital, his anger obvious that someone was shooting at his men and the equally obvious correlation between the photos and the shooting. "You didn't get hit?" Steve demanded.

"No," Danny assured him. "Steve, we've got to make sure Mark Richards is protected. He may be our only link between Merrick and Sato." He swallowed, the pain in his ankle starting to disrupt his thought processes. "I don't suppose Mrs Sato will speak to us now. She certainly won't speak to me."

"I see what you mean about a 'big scary wahine'," Steve mused idly, his thoughts racing ahead. "I agree with you, Danno. I can see Paul Merrick's fine hand in this as well." In his turn, he related his meeting with Merrick. "He's a dangerous man," Steve concluded. "You go nowhere alone, Danno. I mean it." Steve's hands were strangling the metal side of the gurney; a substitute for Merrick, Danny surmised. Or perhaps the elusive gunman. "I'll speak to Mrs Sato," he went on. "Were you able to get any shell casings?"

"I think Kono has some shell casings," Danny replied, not really sure on his facts. The crisis with Sato had hit so quickly after Kono was looking at his ankle that Danny had kind of lost track of what he should have been doing. As if to remind him that it was there, his ankle gave a particularly painful twinge as he moved uneasily. He couldn't swallow the wince in time to stop Steve seeing it.

The door opened and Kono trailed Bergman in. "Kono, you stay here with Danno. Don't let him out of your sight. Did you get any shell casings from the scene?"

"Yeah, boss, here." Kono dropped the bag with the casings into McGarrett's outstretched hand and moved to stand beside Danny. Feeling that his officer was in good hands for the moment, Steve went in search of Mrs Sato.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was very difficult to get anything coherent out of the grieving mother, but Steve coaxed her patiently and the cup of sweet tea that the nurse brought her helped. "Just before he died, your son told Detective Williams that a man called Paul Merrick owns something. Do you know what he was referring to?"

"Mr Merrick – he our landlord," she sobbed. "Very kind man." She wiped away some tears.

"That's good to hear," Steve soothed. "What is it he does that is so kind?"

For a moment, Mrs Sato hesitated and Steve instinctively knew that this was the crux of the matter. He smiled sympathetically, although he really wanted to shake the information from her. However, it seemed that Mrs Sato trusted Steve, even though she was less than fond of Danny and Kono. Leaning over, Mrs Sato whispered, "I'm behind with my rent," she confessed, looking highly embarrassed. "He ain't done nothing bad to us. Even let Akoni do some odd jobs for him." She started to cry again as she said her son's name.

"That is kind," Steve agreed, although it took him all his vaunted control to say the words in a calm, even tone. Oh yes, he bet that Merrick did give Akoni some odd jobs to do. He had the Satos right where he wanted them! All he had to do was threaten to turn Akoni's mother out onto the street and the kid would do anything that he was told to. Of course, Sato was not entirely innocent. Wrong doing seemed to run in the family, so peddling drugs and any other 'odd jobs' would not be entirely abhorrent to Sato. Maybe he'd even grown to enjoy them. They would never know now. Gently, Steve disentangled himself from Mrs Sato and went back to the room where he had left Danny.

The young officer was not in there, but Doc and Kono both were. "Where's Danno?"

"He's getting an x-ray, Steve," Bergman replied. "I sent two big orderlies with him, so don't worry."

"Boss, did Danny mention what Richards said about the Governor?" Kono asked.

"Yes. I wanted to go over that again. Do you really think that Richards believes that the Governor is being blackmailed?" It was a matter of deep concern. Five-O had been created by the Governor and inevitably, any scandal there would catch the state police in the fallout. Steve wanted to be seen to be above board in his dealings with his boss, should any problems come to light.

"I don't think so," Kono replied thoughtfully. "I thought he was gonna accuse the Governor of takin' bribes maybe, but then he said blackmail. Guess if Merrick's done that with one, he might have done it with everyone."

"He certainly did it with Sato," Steve agreed. "Doc, what do you think about Danny's foot? Is it broken?"

"Could well be," Bergman sighed. "Nothing that happens to you guys surprises me anymore. I won't know for sure until I see the x-ray though."

"Kono, stick with Danno. I'm gonna phone Chin and get him to start looking into the companies that comprise Merrick Industries Inc. I need to put more protection around Mark Richards. I need someone to talk to him…"

"What are you going to do, boss?" Kono asked, recognising the far-away expression on McGarrett's face that suggested that he was about to rush off and do something that the others wouldn't approve of.

"I'm just going to go and have a chat to the Governor," Steve replied, sounding surprised. "Nothing dangerous, Kono."

"That's what me and da kaikaina thought when we went to see Richards," Kono reminded him mordantly. "And look what happened!" He gestured to their surroundings.

"Are you suggesting that the gunman might be after me?" Steve enquired.

"Who can say?" Kono retorted. "They might." He met Steve's gaze frankly. "They got Sato."

That was a sobering thought, Steve admitted. "True, but there is no indication that I am on their list," he reminded the big man. "We know that Danno is and we know that Mark Richards might be, too. So you stick with Danno, I'll get more man power on Richards and I'll be careful. Good enough?"

"Not really," grumbled the officer, but he knew his boss well enough to know that was the best compromise he was going to get.

At that moment, Danny was rolled back into the room, clutching his packet of x-rays. Doc took them and headed over to the light box to read them. Steve patted Danny on the arm. "You do what Doc says," he chided. "I'm going to organise more protection for Mark Richards."

"I'll get up there and talk to him once I'm finished here," Danny promised.

"No you won't," Bergman contradicted from the other side of the room.

"I'll leave you to sort this out," Steve smirked and made a hasty exit.


	13. Chapter 13

"It's broken," Doc announced.

"No it's not," Danny argued.

"And exactly how would you know that?" Bergman demanded irately.

"It's my ankle," Danny retorted stubbornly. "I'd know."

"Ha!" scoffed Bergman. "There's a hairline fracture."

"That's not broken," Danny argued.

"It's broken!" Bergman snapped. "And walking about on it won't help it any! You are going to be admitted overnight and that ankle is going to be elevated and iced so that in the morning, I can put a cast on it."

"Best do as Doc says, Danny," Kono suggested.

As Danny opened his mouth to protest again, Bergman put a single finger gently onto the site of the break and Danny almost went into orbit. "I rest my case," Bergman declared triumphantly. "I didn't even have to press it. I've got to strap it up, Danny, then we'll get you settled into bed."

"I've got to speak to Mark Richards first," Danny objected. "Doc, this is really important. This is a murder case now."

"And I got orders not to leave da kaikaina alone," Kono reminded Bergman. "Someone already tried to kill him."

"All right," Bergman sighed. "But you keep off that foot!"

"Thanks, Doc," Danny replied and braced himself as best he could for the pain as Doc produced an Ace bandage.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was more than half an hour later that Kono pushed Danny's wheelchair towards Richards' room. The younger man was still pale from having his ankle bandaged, but he had refused painkillers. He had to have a clear head to interview Richards.

"Kono – where's the guard?" Danny asked as they drew nigh.

Alarmed, Kono hastily parked the wheelchair, locking the breaks automatically. "Stay there!" he ordered, drawing his weapon and tiptoeing towards the room in question.

Of course, Danny ignored him, slipping his own revolver from the holster that currently resided on his lap. Gritting his teeth, he shoved the rest of his belongings onto the floor and rose carefully, keeping as much weight as he could off his right leg.

Reaching the room, Kono glanced behind him, glared forebodingly at Danny, then threw the door open and charged inside. "Stop! Police!"

As Danny hopped frantically after Kono, he heard the sounds of a struggle. Panting, he leaned heavily against the doorpost and saw that the small room was a shambles. The bed was empty, for Richards cowered on the floor in the corner. The IV dripped fluid onto the floor. The over-bed table was pushed to one side and the bedside locker had been rifled, its meagre contents scattered over the floor. The missing HPD guard lay in an unconscious heap just inside the room.

The man that Kono was fighting was a good size and the Hawaiian officer wasn't having things all his own way. Kono's mouth was bleeding and he was fighting to gain and retain control of both guns; his and the assailant's.

There was nothing else for it, Danny thought and lunged into the fray, grabbing the gunman around the neck as he jumped onto his back.

Shaken by the surprise assault, the man reeled backwards, clearly intent on squashing Danny against the wall, but Kono was already reacting positively and took the upper hand. Moments later, Danny's gun was against the man's temple and he slowly raised his hands. Only when Kono had the gun secured did Danny release his hold and slide to the floor.

As Kono locked the cuffs around the gunman's wrists, Danny hopped clumsily across the room to slump down by Richards' side. The youth, although pale, trembling and clearly scared out of his wits, looked a lot healthier than the last time Danny had seen him. "Are you hurt, Mark?" he asked.

"No…" Richards replied uncertainly. He had his right hand pressed against his left forearm and Danny guessed that was where the IV had ripped loose.

Glancing over his shoulder, Danny ordered, "We need a doctor in here." The HPD guard was groaning back to life, bleeding from a head wound. As Danny bade the officer to stay still, Kono found and pushed the bell, but medical staff were already congregating in the room, attracted by the rumpus. One doctor and a nurse removed the injured guard; another doctor, a nurse and a couple of orderlies picked Richards off the floor and put him back to bed. Danny made an attempt to get to his feet, decided that was a really bad idea and opted to wait for help.

"Are you all right, Danny?" It was Duke Lukela, crouching down beside his friend.

"Fine, Duke. Help me up, please." With Duke's help, Danny regained his feet. "Can you help Kono question that guy? Are there guards for Richards?"

"Yeah, there are two men on the door," Duke assured him. "Are you sure you're all right?" He still clutched Danny's arm tightly.

"I'm fine." Danny waved Duke off. "Could you also contact Steve and tell him what's happened? I need to question Richards." Danny was hanging on to the bed rail for grim death. He didn't dare put his bad foot to the floor.

"We'll get on that at once," Duke promised and helped Kono hustle the cursing prisoner out of the room.

Things calmed down considerably then. Danny watched as the doctor re-established Richards' IV, ensured his patient was comfortable and then left, eyeing Danny with considerable interest. Danny ignored him. "How are you feeling now?" Danny asked.

"All right," Richards acknowledged. The street-smart junkie was gone and Danny could see the start of the wealthy young man re-emerging.

"Mark, how did you get to know Akoni Sato?" he asked.

"I met him at a party," Richards replied. "It was Kimi's party; you know?" He glanced at Danny, who nodded. Kimi had been the first victim of the adulterated drugs. Known only by his first name, Kimi had lived on the streets, hustling tourists, stealing to eat and ultimately dealing drugs. According to Doc, his death had been extremely painful. "Sato offered me some coke to try. I'd smoked some pot – who hasn't? – but I'd never tried anything else. It was amazing!" The remembered high was in his voice. "We met at another party a few nights later and I asked him for some more. He said I had to buy it now, but I didn't have much cash. I'd fallen out with dad and I'd left home. But since I didn't have much money, Sato said he would let me have a shot of heroin, just to try, but if I wanted more, I had to pay." He shot a shame-faced glance at Danny. "I went home and made it up with dad, just so I would have some money to buy the stuff. And before I knew it, I needed more and more and I was hooked."

"Go on," Danny urged.

"One day I came home and I was really high. By then, I was selling the stuff, too, to make enough to feed my habit. Dad was waiting for me. He said that Merrick from Merrick Industries knew that I was a junkie and he was threatening to have me arrested and splash it all over the newspapers unless Dad sold Merrick his business. Mom was sick and Dad didn't want to upset her; she was too sick to learn what I had done. Dad was afraid that she would see my name in the papers, or that I'd be arrested and so he agreed to sell to Merrick."

"Mark, listen to me," Danny urged. "You were set up; targeted by the sounds of things. Did Sato know who you were when you met?"

"Yeah, Kimi had told him," Richards agreed. The youth's naivety was quite breath-taking. "I didn't mean to cause my dad so much trouble, Mr Williams," he pleaded.

"I know," Danny replied softly. "Go on."

"That's it, really," he concluded. "Merrick did come to me one time and got me some new customers. He said I had to be the one to supply them." Again the shamed look. "He threatened to tell my mother if I didn't do what he said."

"Who were these new customers?" Danny asked, pretty sure that he had got all the details he needed already.

"They're members of the Governor's staff," Richards replied. "He told me that he knew more about the Governor than the Governor himself did and if any of this came out, and we went to the police, the Governor would quash the investigation because Merrick knows things about him."

The news was shocking in the extreme. Danny was stunned. Merrick had something on the Governor? That was really bad news. It was worse news that Merrick seemed to have some of the Governor's staff in his pocket. "Mark, if I need you to testify, are you willing to do it? We'll cut some sort of deal for you; I don't know what yet, but we'll do something. And you'll have lots of protection – that I guarantee."

The urgency in the young detective's voice was only too apparent. Slowly, Mark nodded. "All right," he sighed. "I'm scared, though."

"So am I," Danny replied. "Thank you." He turned and hurried out of the door, barely feeling the pain in his foot through the turmoil of his thoughts. Steve had gone to see the Governor, to tell him their suspicions. Had the Governor been telling Merrick about how this case was progressing? Was that why they had yet to catch up to the person behind the adulterated drugs? Steve could be in deadly danger! Danny had to get to him. "Kono!" he yelled, not knowing where the Hawaiian detective had gone.

As a nurse attempted to shush the detective, a door further down the corridor opened. Danny didn't know that this was designated to be his room for the night. Kono hurried out. "What is it?" he asked.

"We've got to get to the Governor!" Danny panted. He grabbed Kono's arm and started to move and Kono automatically supported his weight. "Steve's in danger."

Practically carrying the limping younger man, Kono looked as concerned as Danny felt. "But how do you know about who he is?" Kono asked.

"What?" Danny had no idea what Kono was talking about.

"The gunman," Kono elaborated. He saw Danny's blank expression and explained, "He's the Governor's Security chief."

"Hurry!" Danny ordered as he fell into the passenger seat of the car. "Just hurry!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Good evening, Governor," Steve said, entering the familiar office. He stopped dead when he saw Paul Merrick sitting in one of the chairs, nursing a drink.

"Steve!" The Governor seemed full of bonhomie that evening. He, too, had a drink sitting in front of him. He rose and extended a hand. Steve walked over and shook it, all the while evaluating this new development. "Have a seat! You know Paul Merrick? Have a drink!" With an unsteady hand, the Governor went to pour another drink, but Steve gently stopped him, taking the bottle of whiskey from his hand. "No, thank you, Governor." He glanced at Merrick. "We meet again, Mr Merrick."

"So we do, McGarrett," Merrick replied. "Why don't you have a drink?"

"I'm on duty," Steve replied. He was watching the Governor covertly. He had never seen Paul Jameson drunk; not even at official functions when everyone plied him with drink. Jameson was an absolute master of accepting a drink, sipping it and losing it without anyone being aware of it.

"What brings you here?" Jameson asked. He saw Steve hesitating and waved an expansive hand. "You can speak freely in front of Paul. He knows how to be absolutely discreet, don't you, Paul?"

"Yes, I do, Paul," Merrick agreed and they smirked at each other. McGarrett thought the display childish and so unlike the Governor's normal behaviour…

Another thought occurred to him. Was the Governor being manipulated somehow? Was Merrick drugging him? A ripple of deep concern brushed along his nerve endings. "You know I can't discuss classified information with someone not connected with the case, sir," he declared. Merrick's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, come now, McGarrett," Merrick sneered. "We all know that you're never going to catch the person behind the drugs problem. Why don't you just come out and admit it?"

"Because we are going to catch the person," Steve snapped back. "We are close enough that he ought to be able to feel the steel of the handcuffs around his wrists." He gave Merrick a significant look.

That gentleman replied with a derisive laugh. "Really? I doubt that. And now that you're one man down…" He sniggered. "I thought you would be more distraught, McGarrett, since you are supposed to be so close to Williams."

"What's that?" Jameson asked blearily.

Thunderstruck, McGarrett could only stare at Merrick. The attack on Danny was not common knowledge and yet Merrick was assuming his friend was dead. Was that why he was here? To get confirmation that his scheme had worked; that Sato and Danny were dead? Anger flared and Steve fixed Merrick with a look of blazing fury. "And just why would I be distraught?" he asked.

Just for a second, Merrick faltered. "Why, I have it on good authority that Dan Williams was shot and killed just a short time ago," he blustered, sounding more confident with every word.

"And which good authority would that be?" McGarrett whipped, his tone sharp. "The Governor? I don't think so. After all, he knows nothing about it. The coconut wireless? It isn't reliable, you know." He gave a smile that had no warmth in it. "Dan Williams was not shot and killed a short time ago. He is in perfect health." Steve fixed Merrick in his stare.

"What are you talking about?" Jameson demanded.

Without taking his gaze from Merrick, Steve informed the Governor, "Mr Merrick is under the impression that Danno was killed earlier. I don't know where he got that idea from." He cocked an eyebrow. "Where did you get that impression, Mr Merrick?" Steve's courtesy was as sharp as a whip.

Coolly, Merrick swirled the drink in his glass, looking down into it. "Why, McGarrett, you'd think that I was under suspicion from the way you're talking," he chided. His face showed no emotion beyond a slight impression of wounded feelings. "I heard that there had been a shooting and that Williams had been killed." To Steve's intent gaze, there was the twitch of disappointment in his face. "But if you insist that I was wrong, then I must be wrong." He made a self-deprecating gesture.

"Who told you?" Steve persisted. "I need to know this information."

"It was clearly just gossip," Merrick replied, his voice still calm and smooth. "Hopeful gossip, I assume."

The Governor might be drunk – or drugged, Steve guessed – but he wasn't as far gone as to let that one go past. "Paul! What a terrible thing to say!"

"Calm down, Paul," Merrick replied, taking his gaze from Steve to glance at the other man. "It was meant as a joke. Williams, I'm sure, is a fine young man." There was a great depth of sarcasm in his tone.

"I'm still waiting to learn where you heard this information," Steve reminded him. "If you don't tell me, I will be forced to arrest you for obstructing the course of justice and impeding a police officer in the course of his duty. There is quite a stiff penalty for that."

"Don't threaten me!" Merrick snapped and Steve exulted that he had managed to get under the other man's cool exterior. "Paul, do you hear what he's saying? You can't allow that!"

"No," Jameson agreed, rather vaguely.

"What have you done to him?" Steve asked, gesturing towards the Governor.

There was the flash of white teeth in Merrick's feline grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he purred. He lifted his glass to his lips but did not drink. Jameson copied the gesture, but he took a big gulp of the liquor. Steve felt a flash of adrenalin. The Governor was being manipulated!

"You're under arrest!" he declared, reaching for Merrick's arm.

In a smooth move, Merrick threw the contents of his glass into Steve's face. The liquor burned the detective's eyes and as he instinctively moved to wipe them, he sensed Merrick lunging at him. Reflexes allowed him to get a hand into the right position and he pushed Merrick away as he shook his head, blinking frantically to clear his vision.

When Steve's eyes cleared, Merrick stood by Jameson, a gun resting on the Governor's temple. Jameson seemed stunned and disoriented and Steve knew he would have to be very careful what he did now. Jameson's life depended on it and Merrick was very clever and very slippery.

"So you've figured it out at last," Merrick congratulated Steve. "It took you long enough."

"You're going down," Steve told him. "Supplying drugs, attempted murder of a policeman, murder one and manslaughter."

"Oh, I don't think so," Merrick replied. "You will die here tonight, McGarrett and the Governor will die at your hand. I'll be the lucky survivor, injured, but able to take you out after you go on a rampage. It will be discovered that you have large amounts of drugs in your system, as well as alcohol. You were systematically drugging the Governor as well, so that he agreed with everything that you did. Your pathetic little unit will be shut down and your name will be disgraced forever."

"I don't think so," Steve replied, consciously echoing the other man. "You failed to take out Danno; he's fine."

"Oh really?" Merrick laughed. "I have it on good authority that he is in the hospital, and that he is not expected to live."

"Your marksman isn't very good," Steve informed him with a cold glee. "He missed Danno entirely."

"He wounded Williams badly and he killed Sato. By now, he'll have silenced that stupid Richards boy, too," Merrick hissed, dropping his mask of civility. "Don't expect Williams to live. If by some mischance the doctors pull his through, I will personally make sure he has a relapse and dies."

"Such great plans," he mocked. "And I suppose after my death, you'll carry on flooding the island with adulterated drugs and HPD will turn a blind eye?"

"You can never prove that I was behind this," Merrick boasted. "I am untouchable."

"Paul…" Jameson groaned. He looked utterly distressed, as though he had just caught up with the conversation.

"Shut up, you fool!" Merrick jeered. "You were so easy to manipulate! Your staff have been spying on you and I know everything there is to know about you."

"You won't find any blackmail material," Steve told the madman. "The Governor is possibly the most thoroughly vetted person on this rock."

"There's always blackmail material," Merrick scoffed. "One of the secretaries is wilingl to swear that Paul here was far too friendly towards her, touching her inappropriately."

"What?" Jameson tried to rise and Merrick pushed him back down.

"Oh yes," he assured the stunned man. "She'll say anything I tell her to. She needs her drugs and she knows that only I can make sure she gets them. Of course, I have some blackmail material on her. Oh yes – she confessed in a letter to a friend that she finds you very attractive, Governor, and wouldn't say no if you suggested anything to her. Of course, she is a stupid little girl and knows that this is just a fantasy, but she doesn't want it to get out." He laughed.

Disgusted, Steve wondered how someone could live with themselves when they spent all their time looking for the flaws in people and exploiting them. He felt soiled just by coming in contact with this man. "You're not going to win," he informed Merrick.

"No?" Casually, Merrick cocked the gun he held and laughed at the expression on Steve's face. "Do you really think not? Oh, I know you think you're king of this island, McGarrett, but you're not. I am king. Nobody stands in my way. Those who do pay the ultimate price. Think of the number of suicides of well-known business men in the last few years. They thought they could get the better of me and look what happened." He laughed.

There had been no proof that the suicides were anything but that, but Steve now silently vowed to re-open each and every case. Merrick was boasting about everything he had done, but each word was another nail in his coffin as far as Steve was concerned.

"I am not the king," Steve replied coolly. "The last king of this land was Kalakaua."

"So you know your Hawaiian history," Merrick mocked. "Trust me, McGarrett. I will be king. After Jameson's unfortunate death at your hands, I will stand for Governor and believe me, I will win. Nobody will dare oppose me."

"Even if by some miracle you manage to kill both myself and the Governor, might I remind you that Five-O still exists and Dan Williams and the other will not rest until they have hunted you down and convicted you," Steve informed him. "The net is closing in on you. We know all about you."

"Ha!" Merrick scoffed. "Do you know that my pharmaceutical company is cutting the drugs with arsenic? Did you know that my import companies are bringing me the drugs from abroad? Did you know that my network of informants cover every major company and institution in this city?"

"Not Five-O," Steve reminded him.

"Even Five-O will have someone in position soon," Merrick boasted and Steve immediately thought of the junior secretary position that was currently open in their office. He knew that there was a list of applicants, but he thought he would ask Jenny if there was someone she knew for the post. Maybe it wouldn't matter; when they brought Merrick down, the informants would be free of the threats he was obviously holding over their heads.

"All right, so you think you're so great," Steve taunted. "But so far, it seems to me that you aren't much for action. You haven't done anything yourself; you've got others to do the dirty work for you. That strikes me as cowardice."

"I'll show you cowardice," Merrick growled and Steve congratulated himself on goading the other man, right up until the moment the bullet sliced through the air, tearing through his skin, bouncing off a rib and taking a chunk out of his right arm as it ricocheted. The impact of the shot, from such close range, knocked Steve off his feet and he fell to the floor, becoming entangled in a chair on the way down.

As the world greyed around him, for the first time, Steve wondered if he was going to lose this battle.

.


	15. Chapter 15

Anxiety ate at Danny as they rocketed towards the Governor's office. Kono broke every traffic law going, but got them there in record time. Danny slid from the car and a few moments later, Kono grabbed his arm and yanked the injured officer towards the building. Danny was grateful for his support as Kono did the majority of the work as they ran inside.

The sound of a shot echoed through the silent building and Danny gasped, fear clutching his heart. He shook off Kono's support and threw open the door into the Governor's office. He took in the scene in a glance. Merrick stood over Steve's inert body, his gun pointing at the unconscious Five-O chief. Jameson was trying to rise, but was not making much of the effort. He looked dazed and drunk.

As the door burst open, Merrick looked up. He was obviously jolted by the sight of Danny, clearly not at death's door. His gun came up and he fired at the young second in command as Danny lunged across the room. He missed. Danny caught Merrick in a tackle around the knees and the two started to fight for the gun. Vaguely, Danny heard Kono shout something, but he couldn't spare the time to listen. Merrick was slowly winning the fight.

With a hard push, Merrick shoved Danny away and the detective sprawled on the floor on his back, totally vulnerable. However, the crooked businessman had one other priority before he rid himself of the pesky Five-O officer. He swung round to aim his gun at the Governor.

"Stop!" Kono shouted again and when Merrick started to put pressure on the trigger, Kono had no option but to shoot him.

The bullet struck Merrick high in the shoulder, rocking him backwards, but not taking him down. He didn't even glance at Kono as the Hawaiian detective realised he would have to shoot to kill. But Kono had not reckoned on Danny's involvement in the fray. The injured detective scrambled onto his side and lunged at Merrick again, grabbing his gun arm and bringing it sharply down with just his weight. There was a sharp sound as the gun went off and both men crumpled to the floor. With an anguished sound, Kono dived over there and kicked the discarded weapon out of reach.

There seemed to be blood everywhere. Jameson was still sitting in his chair, looking utterly dazed. Kono knew at once that the man would be no help at all. Steve was curled on the floor, the chair lying over his legs, with blood on his chest and arm. Danny was partly on top of Merrick and there was blood on them both. Kono was afraid to touch any of them, but he had to get Merrick under control so that he could summon help. Cautiously, gently, he lifted Danny's body and laid him on the floor.

"I'm fine," Danny croaked, his voice gravelly. He didn't sound convincing.

"Just stay there, kaikaina," Kono ordered. "Don't move!" He locked the handcuffs around Merrick's wrists, noting that the man was unconscious. The blood seemed to be coming from him, not Danny, but Kono wasn't taking any chances. He quickly went to the phone and summoned help.

A groan behind him signalled Steve's return to consciousness. Danny, ignoring Kono's instructions, crawled over to his boss's side. "Stay still, Steve," he coaxed. "You've been shot, but you'll be fine." He hoped he was telling the truth, for there seemed to be so much blood.

"Danno?" Steve murmured. He felt awful. Pain throbbed in his side and his arm and his head ached. Using his left arm, he gingerly felt his head and found a knot. He guessed he must have hit it when he fell, for he seemed to be lying on the floor and he had little recollection of why he would be on the floor in such pain. He squinted his eyes open and saw his blood-stained second half-lying on the floor beside him and beyond Danny, the crumpled body of Merrick. Memory rushed back. "The Governor…"

"He's fine," Danny assured Steve. "Well, he's not hurt," he amended. Steve's eyes closed again, but Danny could tell that he was still awake. "Kono, we need to get the Governor taken in, too," he told his colleague. "He's drunk or drugged or both."

"Drugged," Steve murmured. "Merrick did it. Merrick…"

"We'll get it sorted out, Steve," Danny promised. He felt ghastly, too. The pain from his ankle had increased to the point where he thought he would throw up and his hip was throbbing badly, too. Suddenly, that hospital bed seemed like rather an attractive proposition.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first ambulance took Merrick, for the criminal was haemorrhaging badly. Steve, sitting up by now, ordered that his life had to be saved so that he could stand trial. He knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help himself. He gave Kono and Danny the gist of the conversation he had had there that evening; enough to set the alarm bells ringing with each of them, even though Steve was clearly not thinking with his usual clarity. The second ambulance took Steve and the third took Danny and the Governor. Kono sent HPD officers with each ambulance to provide security and he had the lab come down to sweep the Governor's office. The bottle of whiskey on the Governor's desk was taken away to be analysed.

Back at the hospital, with Chin there to help, they found that there was little they could do but wait. Duke Lukela reported that the gunman was down at HPD lockup and they had taken blood to be analysed. When he had arrived at the hospital, Steve had spotted Duke and charged the man with purging HPD and finding everyone who had been blackmailed or hooked on drugs. It was a huge task, but Duke had already organised someone from the hospital lab to go down to the HPD building and take blood samples from everyone on duty. After reporting to Kono and Chin, he headed off to supervise that task.

Waiting was never easy. All they knew was that Steve and Merrick had been taken to surgery. Danny and Jameson were still in the ER and Bergman was attending to the Governor as well as Danny. Kono filled Chin in on the happenings of the evening and they speculated on what exactly had happened at the Governor's office. It was very disturbing to realise how easily Jameson had been targeted by Merrick. The highly-vetted chief of the Governor's security was locked up on a charge of murder; who knew how many others who worked for the Governor could be involved?

"Kono; Chin." Bergman entered the waiting room. "I've admitted both Governor Jameson and Danny," he reported, sitting down. "The Governor appears to have been drugged. We've taken blood of course, but the only thing we can do until we know what we're dealing with is keeping him comfortable and well hydrated. I sent the guards you ordered with him, with strict instructions that nobody but his wife, myself and Five-O can see him. Mrs Jameson is already with him and refusing to leave."

"Thanks, Doc," Chin responded. "Any idea when we might be able to question him?"

"Not until the morning at least," Bergman advised. "Let him sleep it off."

"All right," Chin sighed.

"What about Danny?" Kono asked, more immediately concerned with the younger man.

"He's really done a number on himself," Bergman grumbled. "His ankle is worse." He fixed Kono with a dark look. "I thought I said no walking about on it?"

"It was kind of an emergency, Doc," Kono protested defensively.

"I know; I know," Berman sighed. "But that ankle has more than just a hairline fracture now. That boy is lucky he doesn't need surgery!"

"That bad?" Chin whistled, having only heard a part of the story.

"That bad," Bergman agreed. "From what he told me – and I suspect I'm not getting the full story – he's lucky he didn't displace the fracture. As it is, he'll be on bed rest – _strict_ bed rest – until I can cast it. Of course, since he was shot as well, he won't feel like doing much."

"Shot!?" The question chorused from both Five-O detectives in an impressive display of synchronicity. "Where?" Kono added.

"How bad?" Chin added.

"There was blood all over him," Kono explained to Chin, "but he swore it was all Merrick's and Steve's."

"Most of the blood in his clothes wasn't his," admitted the coroner. "It isn't all that serious a wound," he relented, seeing the anxiety on the detectives' faces. "The bullet just creased him. I put in a few stitches and it won't give him any trouble once it's healed."

"Can we see him?" Chin asked, while Kono fought down an urge to strangle Bergman for scaring them like that. He also had an urge to throttle Danny for risking his life in such a cavalier fashion.

"Have I ever stopped any of you at any time?" asked the crusty doctor mordantly. "Just don't stay long and don't expect much conversation. He's had quite a few painkillers."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

There was absolutely no conversation with Danny. He was out for the count, his injured ankle elevated and with an ice pack balanced on top. Even his toes were bruised. He was on the pale side, but looked reassuringly peaceful as he slept.

They were back to waiting after that. Steve's live had not seemed to be in danger, but when any member of the Five-O family was hurt, the others waited and worried. They also needed to know if Merrick was going to live; the investigation would be handled differently if he lived to stand trial than if he died on the operating table.

The news of Steve arrived first. The Five-O chief was expected to make a full recovery. The bullet had hit him in the abdomen, but had not penetrated very deeply. No vital organs had been hit. It had broken a rib before exiting and taking a lump out of the back of Steve's arm. Again, the damage there had not been serious – no nerve damage – but he would need some physical therapy to regain his full strength. The bump on the head was superficial.

That was great news. The surgeon vetoed a visit that night and the detectives reluctantly accepted the stricture. As they resumed their vigil, Kono fell asleep.

About an hour later, an exhausted surgeon came in to report that Merrick, despite a couple of scares on the table, was expected to live. He was under heavy guard in the post-surgical ICU. It would be at least 24 hours before he was fit to be questioned, maybe longer, depending on how well he came out of the anaesthetic and dealt with the blood loss.

The hospital vigil finally at an end, Chin urged Kono to go home, but Kono refused. "Too much to do, bruddah," he insisted, "and maybe not enough people to do it."

Leaving the hospital, Chin drove them to the Palace where they set about getting warrants to search Merrick's home, offices and all his subsidiary businesses. The next day, the staff at all these places would have to be questioned; the Governor's staff had to be questioned and have blood tests and the rest of the HPD staff checked out. It was a mammoth undertaking for the two detectives, but they didn't even think about calling in help from outside agencies like the CIA or FBI. How could they be sure that Merrick didn't have some connections within those organisations?

News of the shooting and Merrick's shock arrest spread like wildfire and the phones were soon ringing off the hook as the media tried to get some sort of comment from the state police unit. They were to be sorely disappointed. The phones rang so often with reporters seeking information that Kono in particular took to hanging up on them without saying a single word.

About 6.30am, Duke Lukela arrived with a couple of HPD detectives who had been cleared and some pastries for breakfast. The borrowed detectives set about dealing with some of the more mundane tasks, freeing Kono and Chin to concentrate on the Governor's staff. They had to have reliable personnel in place before the Governor was released from the hospital. Mrs Jameson had stayed by her husband's bedside overnight, which had relieved the harried detectives of some worry over her safety.

A judge, grumpy about being woken, had quickly granted every warrant Chin and Kono asked for and the huge operation of questioning the 550 people and going through Merrick Industries' files began.

.


	16. Chapter 16

"You're going to be here for a few days, Mr McGarrett," the surgeon concluded, "but I expect you to make a full recovery."

"Mahalo, doctor," Steve replied gratefully. He didn't feel like fighting to get released, which told him just how weak he actually was. "Can I get a phone in here?" he asked. "I need to talk to my men and find out what is going on."

"As long as you don't overdo things," the doctor warned him. "You have several injuries and you lost some blood and they will take time to heal. If you feel tired, then sleep. Make sure you take your painkillers regularly; keeping on top of the pain helps you to heal."

"Is there anyone to see me?" Steve asked, slightly surprised Danny wasn't there waiting to take his full statement and debrief him. After all, he must be all right, because he had been at the Governor's office last night and he had been fine… hadn't he? Perhaps the knock on the head was worse than he thought and he only dreamt that he had told them about Merrick.

"Not that I know of," the surgeon murmured. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Yes, my second in command." Steve frowned. "Could I get that phone please?" He laid his aching head back on the cool pillow and waited with what little patience he could muster. The nurse was obligingly prompt with it, however, and Steve wondered if his reputation preceded him. He quickly dialled the familiar number of his office and was shocked when a familiar voice answered; a voice he had not expected to hear. "Duke?"

"Steve! How are you?"

"Fine," Steve replied automatically. "Where is everyone that you're answering the phone? Is Danno there?"

"Chin and Kono are down at Merrick Industries," Duke replied. "I don't know what they're looking for exactly, but they have us taking blood from everyone in sight and they managed to get warrants for everything wikiwiki."

"Good," Steve replied. "Can you send Jenny down here? I need her help."

"Sure thing," Duke replied cheerfully. "I'm sure she won't mind."

"Where's Danno?" Steve asked again, realising his question had not been answered.

There was a fractional pause. "Steve, he's in the hospital," Duke reported. "Didn't anyone tell you?"

"What's wrong with him?" Steve demanded, fear clutching at his heart. Hadn't Danny insisted that all that blood belonged to Merrick?"

"He was shot and his ankle …"

"Shot?" This was just getting worse.

"Just a crease on his hip," Duke replied. "And his ankle is broken and he has to rest it until the swelling goes down enough to allow Bergman to put a cast on it." Duke's tone changed. "Steve, don't even think of getting out of bed to go and see him! He's fine, I promise!"

"I won't," Steve promised, although his first instinct had been to throw back the covers and set off on a trek to find his friend. It was about that point in the thought process that he realised he was holding the phone receiver with his one working hand. His right arm was strapped across his chest and an IV was fixed firmly into the back of that hand. A certain burning sensation between his legs reminded him that the catheter had only just been removed. Breathing was sore enough and moving position slightly in the bed wakened all kinds of aches and pains that were muted by the drugs but bad enough. Getting out of bed was, probably, doable, but an intensely dumb idea. "Thanks, Duke. Just send Jenny down will you? And get Chin or Kono to call me."

"Will do," Duke promised. "Feel better."

"Thanks," Steve replied and hung up. After several moments of thought, Steve dialled another familiar number. The gruff voice on the other end did not sound pleased to hear from him, but Steve ignored that as he laid out the plan he had just concocted. He didn't argue, just informed the voice of what he wanted and hung up. He started waiting again, knowing that something would happen before too long.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Noise at the door woke Steve from the doze he'd fallen into unawares. He sat up cautiously, trying to look as though he was completely awake and alert, but certain he wasn't fooling anyone.

First in the door was the nurse who'd brought his breakfast earlier. She had a very disapproving look on her face that disconcerted Steve not at all. Next came an orderly guiding the foot of a bed; then the bed itself, another orderly and the extremely grumpy coroner who guided the IV pole. Reclining on the bed, his bewildered look slowly giving way to understanding, was Dan Williams. "Steve!" he exclaimed. "I might have known! How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Steve lied, but he was feeling a lot better for seeing Williams.

It took a little manoeuvring for the beds to be suitable aligned for both the nursing staff and the chief of Five-O, but it was accomplished. The said moving was not comfortable for either man, but they endured it without complaint. Bergman frowned at them both and when the beds were finally placed to everyone's satisfaction he stepped up to Danny's side and checked his vitals.

With a grunt that could have meant anything, he looked at the both. "Now listen closely, because this is against my better judgement," he growled. "Steve, you had surgery last night. Dan, you already disobeyed me about walking on that ankle yesterday. Neither of you are fit to go anywhere or do too much. I wouldn't have brought Danny up here at all, Steve, except I know that you would undoubtedly have done something stupid like get out of bed to go and look for him." He glared at McGarrett, to show that he did not appreciate the demands the man had made of him earlier, even if he had complied. "If I hear of either of you getting out of bed, or if the nurses think you're overdoing things, I'm going to separate you again and put you both in solitary confinement! Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Danny agreed. He didn't know how he'd managed to do any of the things he had done yesterday and knew that getting out of bed today was a non-starter.

"Agreed," Steve nodded. He'd already managed to get his own way that morning and felt that he could be magnanimous now. Besides, although he would never admit it, he felt too weak and sore to get up. Today that is – tomorrow might well be another matter.


	17. Chapter 17

"So fill me in," Steve invited when Bergman departed after making sure Danny did not need any more pain meds. "How did you know to come to the Governor's last night?"

"After you left, I went up with Kono to interview Richards again," Danny replied. "The guard was not in position outside the door. Kono went in first and we found the guard unconscious and Richards at the mercy of a big guy with a gun. Kono and I fought him and we took him into custody. I spoke to Richards and he's agreed to testify against Merrick for a plea. But it was what he said after that that alarmed me; he told me Merrick had got him some new customers and they were members of Jameson's staff. I called for Kono and when we were going to the car, he told me the shooter was the Governor's security chief."

"Good grief!" Steve was so stunned by that revelation that he forgot to enquire as to how Danny came to be involved in a fight when he had a broken ankle.

"So we dashed down to his office and when we got there, we found you bleeding on the floor with Merrick standing over you with a gun in his hand. I rushed him and he shot at us. Kono hit him in the shoulder, but he was going to shoot the Governor, so I tackled him and I guess that was when we both got shot. Kono got some help and the rest you know about." Danny resisted the urge to rub his injured hip. Doc had told him that the bullet must have passed through Merrick's abdomen before skidding along his hip. If he had been in a different position… It didn't bear thinking about.

"Wait a minute." Steve's thinking had caught up with the narrative. "You fought with the gunman? And tackled Merrick not just once, but twice if I heard correctly? Is that how you broke your ankle?"

"Kind of," Danny hedged. "It was broken before that, Doc said. I don't really believe him. A hairline fracture isn't really a fracture, is it?" He looked at his boss for support, but saw none there and hurried on. "But apparently Doc thinks I did more damage to it by the… the fight… and… and stuff," he concluded lamely as Steve's glower darkened. "Oh come on, Steve, what was I meant to do? Let him shoot you and the Governor?"

"You should have let Kono deal with him," Steve snapped. "Look what happened." He gestured to the poor bruised foot that was cradled on a couple of pillows.

"I'd do it again," Danny asserted defiantly. "It was worth it."

"How bad is that break?" Steve demanded, not mollified by Danny's words.

"Bad enough," Danny admitted. Despite the pain medication, the ankle throbbed all the time. Danny dreaded dragging around a heavy cast for the next six weeks or so. He would be stuck on desk duty and would doubtless end up with all the most hated paperwork tasks, like the rota or the expenses reports and the monthly budget. He would be relegated to worrying in the office whenever Steve and the others went off on assignments and there would be no surfing – even easy waves – for a few months. Of course, it was worth it. Steve was alive, but that didn't mean Danny had to enjoy the enforced time away from the front lines.

"Next time, do as Doc says," Steve ordered gruffly, ignoring the fact he was only doing as Doc told him for today and would be blithely ignoring medical instructions come the following day.

"I'm following the example you frequently set for me," Danny replied sweetly and Steve had to smile.

"Well, from now on, follow his instructions to the letter," he concluded.

"I will if you will," Danny grinned.

Steve was saved from further insubordination by Jenny's arrival. She rushed over to hug them both, exclaiming her relief that they weren't more badly hurt and chiding them for getting hurt in the first place. Gently, Steve disentangled himself from her and requested she bring them up-to-date.

"Chin and Kono are down at Merrick Industries headquarters," she reported. "They've both been up all night and should have left this to someone else, but they said they couldn't. Still," Jenny set her indignation aside, "they have brought in some accountants to look at the books over there. Duke is in charge back at the Palace and he said to tell you that the results from HPD have been very encouraging. So far, everyone has checked out. That means that he's able to deploy some more men to help Chin and Kono and they are seizing files and stuff from the subsidiary companies."

"That's good," Steve approved. "Now, what about the Governor's staff?"

"As you know, the Governor's chief of security is in HPD lock-up. So far, only one secretary and a maid at the mansion have been found to be on drugs." Jenny checked her notebook to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"Get Duke to ask Mark Richards for the names of the Governor's people he supplied," Danny suggested. "We also need to let Walter Stuart know that he's cooperating with us and needs a plea bargain."

"All right," Jenny nodded, noting that down. "The media is breathing down our necks, but I've stuck to the company policy of no comment." She glanced at Steve for approbation.

"Keep it that way," Steve agreed. "I need something else from you, love. Over the last couple of years, there have been some suicides of prominent business men. I need to see those files."

"All right," Jenny replied doubtfully.

"We also need to get someone to speak to the former owners of all Merrick's subsidiary companies," Danny added. "From what Richards senior told me yesterday, they were all blackmailed into selling. If they agree to testify, well, it would be another nail in the coffin for Merrick and they might end up with their property back."

Nodding, Jenny noted that one down, too. "Duke says that Merrick's lawyer called this morning and is going to push for bail. There's no word on when the hearing for that will be yet. I'll keep you in the loop about it."

"Thanks, Jenny," Steve smiled. "You're a big help, love. One more thing; the secretary's position we have open. Merrick implied to me that he was going to plant someone there. I don't know if you've decided on anyone, but perhaps you ought to have Chin and Kono check them out, too?"

"I'll do that myself," Jenny informed the boss. "You know that my grapevine is just as good as your files and a lot easier to access." She smirked. "I wasn't that keen on any of those girls anyway," she added. "Too silly."

With her notebook firmly tucked away in her capacious handbag, Jenny headed for the door, promising to be back as soon as she could. She paused before exiting the room. "Get some rest, you two," she ordered and vanished.

"Steve," Danny mused, still contemplating the door, "are you sure you're in charge of Five-O?"

"Well," Steve replied, sounding rather bemused, "I thought I was…"


	18. Chapter 18

Merrick Industries Inc. kept meticulous files. Very meticulous files. The accounting firm that Kono and Chin had called in (it belonged to one of Kono's cousins) were chasing the money trails as fast as they could and finding that on the surface, everything looked ship-shape and Bristol-fashion. However, under the surface, things were not as rosy and clean. Columns of figures appeared to be correct until they were added up and then it was clear money was being quietly removed from the firm's coffers and placed elsewhere. So far, they were down just over a million dollars. The accountants were looking very excited indeed as they worked.

Less exciting, but just as gratifying, Kono and Chin had thoroughly searched Merrick's office personally and thanks to Chin's devious and practical mind, they discovered some panelling that provided a false wall. Inside the revealed room, there were the real files for Merrick Industries Inc. They were dynamite. There, in black and white, were the details of the takeovers he had made, the threats he had made and the blackmail material he used against the companies he targeted. He listed how often he had drugs imported from Asia, Australia and the mainland. He listed what shipment the drugs were concealed in and how much he paid for it, how much it was worth on the street uncut and then how much he would get after the drugs were cut. Those files alone would seal Merrick's fate.

Leaving an HPD detective to continue forging his way through the mountain of paperwork in that hidden room, Chin and Kono headed to the pharmaceutical firm and let the lab boys free in there. Che Fong looked as though all his Christmases and birthdays had come at once as he poked and prodded and looked and admired. Before too long, he was sending men back to his own lab with stacks of stuff to be analysed, but he had already found the drugs and the arsenic. By his reckoning, they lifted about a quarter of a ton of heroin and about the same of cocaine. The street value was staggering. Extra guards were assigned to guard it.

By now, both Five-O detectives were dropping with exhaustion. After a brief stop for food, they went back to the hospital to update Steve on their morning's work. Chin was driving, and Kono slept in the passenger seat. Both knew they would have to get some solid sleep before they could do any more.

When they went into the hospital, Steve was sitting up and reading something from a file. He glanced up as they entered and read triumph on their faces. Danny was sleeping, but Steve knew he would not want to miss hearing about this first hand, so leaned over and gently shook his friend. "Danno, Chin and Kono are here."

Bleary blue eyes opened and Danny rubbed his face with one hand. "Hi, guys," he yawned.

"What have you got?" Steve asked, unable to wait a second longer.

"Everything," Chin answered simply.

"Dat Merrick sure is pupule," Kono amplified. "Some of the things he had…" Kono had been profoundly disturbed by some of the blackmail threats Merrick had made.

"Pupule for him, but not for us, bruddah," Chin reminded him. "We saw that the office dimensions were wrong for the size of the room," he reported, "and we found a hidden room."

"Chin did," Kono corrected. "He noticed."

Shrugging off the praise, Chin went on, "And there we found pay dirt. Everything we needed to know to take him down, boss." The satisfaction was clearly evident in Chin's voice. "Everything."

"Well done!" Steve said. "Good work." He was proud of his men, but intensely jealous that he could not have been there to find this information for himself.

"You did well," Danny agreed. He was disappointed that he had not been able to make the raid with them and looked at his ankle and sighed. He knew this was how it was going to be for the next few weeks until his ankle had healed.

"I think perhaps with the volume of evidence, we ought to get Walter Stuart involved now," Steve thought aloud. "We need to search Merrick's house, too. Does he have a wife and family?"

"He has a wife, nominally at least," Danny volunteered. "She isn't seen in public much and the coconut wireless says they're unofficially separated." It felt good to be able to get involved with this case again. "I'm not sure about children."

"I'll phone Stuart right now," Steve said, "and you two can go home and get some sleep." Even though Steve was keen enough for them to burn the candle at both ends and in the middle, he knew that his men were exhausted.

He had barely finished speaking when there was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Walter Stuart, the Attorney General, Duke and Governor and Mrs Jameson. The Governor, looking a bit pale and tired and riding in the obligatory wheelchair, was dressed in street clothes, ready to be released. Steve straightened, feeling somehow vulnerable and at a disadvantage being still in bed and in a hospital gown. "Governor!"

"Steve; Danny. It's good to see you both looking so well," Jameson responded. "I wanted to come to thank you for saving my life and my reputation." He seemed embarrassed. "I don't know how Merrick managed to drug me, but thanks to you, nothing awful happened." He held out his hand and shook both men's hands. "I owe you a great deal."

"Good thing you were there," Stuart commented.

"I was going to phone you, Walter," McGarrett said, ignoring the comment. He explained quickly about the amount of evidence they had found and suggested that it might be better if Walter and his staff looked at it in situ. Stuart agreed.

"Now it's time for you to head home," Mrs Jameson declared and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that she was going to stand for no dissention from the ranks – i.e. the Governor. "You're under strict instructions to rest," she reminded her husband.

"How are you feeling?" Danny asked him.

"Much better, thanks," Jameson replied. "My mind is clear from the drugs for the first time in what seems like forever. The doctor says that it will take me a while to regain my full strength and I might never remember everything Merrick said to me or suggested I do. However, it seems that my reputation politically and personally is safe, thanks to your efforts." He made a moue. "It seems wrong that I got off so lightly, when both of you are stuck in here. Danny, the doctor told me that you make your ankle injury worse last night saving both mine and Steve's life. Thanks doesn't seem enough, but mahalo."

Thoroughly embarrassed, Danny muttered something that no one caught, his face flushing dramatically. Steve smirked. Danny thoroughly deserved the praise and Steve found it rather endearing that his friend was so discomfited by it.

"We've got to go," Jameson concluded. "Chin, Kono, excellent work from you also. Five-O has come out of this with its reputation really glowing."

"And I'll make sure Merrick doesn't make bail once I've seen all this marvellous evidence," Stuart promised.

"I'm glad to see you two looking better," Duke said as he left with the Governor. "See you later."

Peace descended on the small room. Kono yawned vastly and Danny felt constrained to copy him. Chin rubbed his eyes wearily. "I'm goin' home ta bed, bruddahs," Kono declared and rose slowly, the excitement of the day finally ebbing away and leaving him drained.

"You deserve it," Steve praised them again. Both detectives gave their boss and shy smile and headed out. Steve glanced at Danny and read the same disappointment in his face that he could feel on his own. "There'll be plenty left for us to do, too, Danno," he reminded his sidekick.

"Yeah," Danny agreed, but he knew that he wouldn't be doing any of the legwork. He pushed the thought aside, determined not to feel sorry for himself. "I wonder what story the Governor's office is giving to the media," he mused.

"Let's find out," Steve proposed and switched on the TV. They found a live news broadcast and discovered that Jameson was being released after an attempt had been made on his life the previous evening. Two members of the Five-O team had been slightly injured during the rescue of the Governor and were still hospitalised at this time. Jameson had been kept in overnight for observation, but had not been injured. More details would be released when they were available.

"That's pretty much true, isn't it?" Danny laughed.

"You can't beat a partial truth," Steve agreed. "Much harder to disprove." He switched off the set again. "Jenny should be back soon with those files I asked for," he went on. "I want you to look through some of them with me. Let's see what else we can find about Mr Paul Merrick."


	19. Chapter 19

The good news continued to trickle in throughout the rest of the day. Only two cops in HPD were found to be under Merrick's nominal control, which was a huge relief to Steve. Quite what they would have done if there were a lot of cops hooked on drugs and/or being blackmailed was something that had haunted his waking thoughts. Both cops involved were quite junior. They were quietly removed and taken away to start treatment, but their careers in law enforcement were over. Mark Richards came through on names of junkies at the Governor's office and residence and another two people were removed from his service. Merrick regained consciousness and was proclaimed out of danger, but his doctor wouldn't let anyone question him for another 24 hours. Steve vowed to be back on his feet the following day so that he could be the one to do that.

Jenny came up trumps on the matter of the files of the suicide businessmen and Steve and Danny pored over them one by one during the afternoon and the evening. It was annoying to Steve that they both required frequent naps during the afternoon. He blamed the warm sun streaming in the windows and the tedious nature of their reading material, but it was also down to the fact they were still recovering from their injuries. However, by evening, Steve was feeling more like himself. At the moment, he was still mindful of the 'don't get out of bed' order that Bergman had left him, but he was sure he would be up and about the following day.

Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, there was nothing to see in any of the files that would lead them to change the suicide conclusion to murder. Discouraged, hurting although he didn't want to admit it, and just plain tired, Danny threw the last file onto the over-bed table. He watched disinterestedly as it slid slowly downwards before depositing half the pile onto the floor.

From the other bed, Steve cocked an eyebrow at him. "What's up, Danno?" he asked.

"Nothing," Danny lied, with a gusty sigh.

"It doesn't sound like nothing," Steve ventured. "It sounds like you're sick and tired of being stuck in a hospital bed while everyone else is running around out there getting the glory."

"I guess that's about it," Danny agreed.

"You'll be on your feet again tomorrow," Steve predicted.

"I still won't be running around though, will I?" he whined. "I'll be stuck in the office with the paperwork."

It wasn't like Danny to complain like that. He didn't like being side-lined, but generally he just sucked it up and kept his complaints to himself. Steve forced himself to really look at his friend and see for himself the toll the last day had taken on the younger man. Dan's wan face was pinched and pale. Steve searched his sheets discreetly for the call button and pushed it. When the nurse appeared a few moments later, Steve told her, over Danny's objections, that Dan was in pain and needed his meds.

"They put me to sleep!" he complained as the nurse smoothly injected the drugs into his IV.

"Sleep helps you heal," the nurse informed him. She lifted the used icepack from his foot and examined it closely, both men watching. "I'll get you another pack," she told him. "The swelling isn't going down as well as we'd hoped. I doubt if you'll be able to get a cast on tomorrow."

That was another blow for the young detective and he turned his face away from Steve so that he wouldn't have to see the sympathy there. He didn't want sympathy. He wanted his ankle cast so that he could get about on crutches and be useful again. Being stuck in a hospital bed for another day was a depressing prospect, especially as he was sure that Steve would get up tomorrow, regardless of what the doctors thought.

"Danno?" Steve was concerned by his friend's reaction to that news, but Danny didn't turn his head. Steve hesitated, unsure if he should say anything more. During the hesitation, the drugs caught up with Danny and he slipped into sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The following day brought a slight improvement in the ankle, but still not enough to allow a cast to be applied. Steve, as predicted, ignored the doctors and got up. He had given Chin his apartment key and the senior detective had brought in some clothes; not the suit Steve wanted, but not completely casual clothing either. With some effort, Steve managed to get dressed. His injured arm was now supported in a sling and with his hair brushed into place, he was looking much more like his usual self.

"Couldn't Dan come in a wheelchair?" Steve asked Bergman.

"No." There was no attempt to soften the blow; the coroner was adamant. "We can't risk undoing all the good work we've done so far. Do you want to put Danny's recovery back even more?" Bergman gave the younger man a dirty look. "Danny already did quite a number on himself and now you want to compound it. What's so important that he needs to get out of bed?"

"I wanted his help questioning Merrick," Steve growled, angry that the doctor was not giving him his own way. He thought this would be the perfect way to make Danny feel included in this investigation. After all, Danny had had a couple of run-ins with Merrick before and together, they might make a good deal more headway than either of them could alone. "I need him, Doc."

"It's fine, Steve," Danny interjected quietly. "You go alone."

"It's not fine!" Steve contradicted. "It's not fine at all, Danno! I need you there!"

"Don't think you can suggest bringing Merrick down here, either," Bergman added. "He's not ready to leave ICU yet."

With his ire thoroughly roused, Steve was pacing, not feeling any pain or discomfort for the moment. If looks could kill, Bergman would have been incinerated on the spot. As it was, to Steve's further irritation, the coroner looked singularly unmoved by the Five-O chief's anger. "Not even for a few minutes?" he pleaded.

"Not even for a few minutes," Bergman decreed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other work to do today." He turned and left the room, his own annoyance clearly visible in the way he slammed the door. Danny winced.

"Sorry, Danno," Steve sighed. He sat down on the edge of his discarded bed. "I do want and need you there."

"I want to be there," Danny admitted. "But I guess Doc is right. I don't want to mess this ankle up to the point where I'm on the beach forever." He still felt rather flat, but he wasn't as down as the day before. He had learned not to let the pain get on top of him and was better able to cope with the disappointment of not being allowed to go with Steve to question Merrick. "You don't really need me there."

"You've met Merrick a couple of times," Steve argued. "You'd be a big help; you always are."

"I appreciate you saying that," Danny sighed. "But this time you're on your own."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The interview with Merrick did not go well. The injured crook had his lawyer present and was advised not to answer any of the questions, including confirming his name. McGarrett thought the game playing pathetic, considering the amount of evidence they were still sifting through. Merrick's fingerprints were on everything – literally – and it was clear he was going to go away for a long, long time.

Only as Steve left did Merrick offer anything at all. "I'm not going to go down for this, McGarrett," he called. "You'll see."

Pausing in the doorway, Steve looked back. Merrick still looked dangerous, even lying in a bed with drips and drains and monitors all around. Did he think that because he knew just how deadly this man could really be? Steve wondered. "You said I'd never catch you," he reminded the criminal. "I'd re-think that statement if I were you." He gestured to the restraints – padded hospital ones for the moment – that were a reminder of the man's status as a prisoner.

"You'll pay for this, McGarrett!" Merrick threatened and his lawyer made moves to hush the man, who ignored him. "You and Williams! You'll both pay for this."

There was no point in dignifying the words with a reply, however much Steve wanted to throw words – and fists – at Merrick. The man was trapped in a hospital bed at the moment and he would then be transferred to the prison hospital ward when he was well enough. His cohorts were being rounded up fast, thanks to the meticulous records he had left and the charges were stacking up against him minute by minute. If found guilty of even just one half of them, there was no chance that Merrick would leave prison except in his coffin. From the phone call Steve had received from Walter Stuart that morning, it sounded as though there was no question of Merrick being able to wriggle out of any of the charges. There had seldom been a more iron-clad case and there would be no plea bargains for anyone apart from Mark Richards, who had pointed them in directions they had not even thought of before. Still, Steve was infuriated that Merrick had the cheek to threaten him. Silently, he left the room.


	20. Chapter 20

It was good to be back in the office with his finger on the hub of the investigation. Chin had taken him down to Merrick Industries so that he could see the secret room and all the files. Steve was impressed that Chin had worked out that there was a secret room there, for the dimensions of the office didn't seem that much off to him, and he said so once more to the Chinese detective.

Brushing the comment off with his usual modesty, Chin told Steve the latest development in the case. "We've arrested the head pharmacist this morning. He admitted under questioning that he had cut the drugs with arsenic and that he knew the drugs were for sale on the street. He's fingered several members of his staff who helped him, too and they are all being charged as well."

"What about the companies that imported the stuff?" Steve asked.

"From what we've learned so far, it seems that they are innocent," Chin replied. He sounded frustrated. "It's going to be difficult to prove otherwise, Steve. The consignments they arrived in were all things that were boxed tightly and cleared by customs stamps and were simply forwarded on to other places." He snorted. "Of course, we're still checking out these other places. This case is like a labyrinth. Every time you think you've reached the end, another avenue pops up and surprises you. We're going to be working on this for quite a while."

"Once we've got the major stuff done, we can shove a lot of the legwork off onto HPD," Steve suggested. He knew that crime – ordinary crime – would not stop just because Five-O was caught up in this vast case. With Dan on the side-lines for the moment, he could continue to supervise this case, but the rest of them had to be prepared for the next big thing that came along.

Thinking of Danny brought a twinge of guilt. Steve had gone in to visit his friend this morning on the way to work and found him just as glum as he had been a couple of days before. Bergman had just been in to look at the ankle and had decreed another day with ice packs and elevation. The foot of Danny's bed was raised dramatically to accommodate the orders and Danny looked extremely uncomfortable. There was nothing Steve could do to cheer him up, although Danny made an effort to appear to be philosophical while Steve was there. Still, it was disappointing for both men, Danny more than Steve obviously. Steve missed Danny's presence in the office. He was accustomed to bouncing ideas off his second in command.

"We caught up with Mrs Merrick," Chin announced, seeing that Steve's momentary lapse in concentration was over.

"Oh?" Steve's attention sharpened at once. "What is she saying about it all?"

"She's a very high-class wahine," Chin commented dryly. "She already had a lawyer at their house and he did his best to refuse to let us search the place, despite the warrant."

"Really," Steve drawled. "What did she have to hide?"

"Quite a lot," Chin replied gleefully. "She started flapping when Kono opened her walk-in wardrobe." He shook his head bemusedly. "I have rooms smaller than her closet," he confided. "Anyway, Kono started searching and found a safe – a large safe – hidden behind a pull-out hanger thing." Chin made vague motions with his hands trying to describe the 'hanger-thing' but Steve was more interested in the safe. "She was going to refuse to open it, so Kono got his handcuffs out and started to Mirandize her for obstructing the course of justice and that scared her enough that she opened it."

"What was inside?" Steve asked, putting aside the notion of Kono threatening this 'high-class wahine'.

"It looks like Mrs Merrick was keeping a dossier on Mr Merrick," Chin reported happily. "She has had a private detective on his trail for the last three years. He hasn't been exactly a good boy. He's had several mistresses and has spent vast amounts of money on apartments for them and jewels and cars. Mrs Merrick was compiling the dossier to aid her in her divorce – if she decides to get one."

"If? It sounds as though she has the whole thing sewn up," Steve laughed.

"Apparently, she is waiting a little longer because of their son," explained the older detective. "He's at U of H and she didn't want to disrupt his life with a divorce while he was studying."

"How old is this son?" Steve asked.

"21," Chin replied, consulting his notebook.

"Have you spoken with him?" Steve asked.

"Kono's doing that right now," was the reply.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't often that a familial relationship was so clearly stamped on someone's face, but Paul Merrick Junior looked exactly like his father. The young man glowered at Kono as the big detective placidly introduced himself and demanded entry. It was doubtful that the youth had anything directly to do with his father's business or that there would be anything incriminating at his university apartment, but the judge had granted the warrant just to be on the safe side. This case kept growing arms and legs and nobody wanted to be the one who missed something vital.

The apartment was small, but very nice. It was untidy, which was hardly a surprise, as Kono knew he had rousted the young man from his bed. Paul had on pyjama bottoms and a ratty tank top with bare feet. His hair stuck out at all angles and he badly needed a shave. "What do you want?" he asked. "Dad won't like that you've been here."

It was a threat that clearly had a lot of weight with the young man, but it didn't move Kono at all. "I have a warrant to search your apartment," Kono repeated. He wasn't that many years older than this slim youth, but he felt far more mature – had he ever been that callow? He knew the answer was yes, however little he wanted to admit it. "When did you last see your father?"

"Yesterday," Paul replied defiantly. "Why?"

Smoothly ignoring that question, Kono asked one of his own. "Have you ever done any work at any of your father's companies?"

"Lots of them. Why?"

"Which ones?"

"I don't know – I don't remember!" Paul snapped. "What difference does it make?"

"Just curious," Kono answered blandly, knowing that the very indifference of his answer would annoy the petulant youth. "Were you planning on going into business with your father?" he enquired, knowing from his own research that Paul was doing a business course.

"Of course I am," Paul replied. "If you plods railroad my dad into jail, I'll be the one running Merrick Industries. With my mother's help," he added as an afterthought.

"Plods?" Kono raised an eyebrow at the unknown word.

"You know," Paul replied scathingly. "PC Plods? Coppers? Pigs? No? You don't read English novels?"

"Not the same kind as you," Kono retorted. He turned away and started to search the apartment. It didn't take him long, but he was thorough, lifting all the seat cushions, stripping the bed and throwing the mattress down. A small split in the mattress took his attention and a few moments later, he was looking at a small baggie. "You're under arrest," he told Paul, who looked as though he was going to run. Kono almost hoped he would, but at the last minute, the youth subsided. Kono magnanimously allowed him to dress before he took him downtown and booked him for possession.


	21. Chapter 21

"His son? Do you think he's connected in any way to his dad's shadier practices?" Danny asked.

"Dunno, bruddah," Kono replied. "We're looking into it. I arrested him for possession, but he didn't have much stuff – just some pot."

"He'll be out already," Danny predicted.

"Yeah, I checked," Kono agreed. He looked at Danny's uncomfortable position. "You doin' okay, bruddah?"

"Surviving," Danny sighed. "If this doesn't work…" He didn't know what he would do if this position didn't take the last of the swelling away. He was fed up sitting like this to say the least.

"It'll work," Kono predicted confidently. "It looks better than yesterday."

"So I'm told," agreed the impatient patient. "I haven't noticed the difference yet."

"You will, bruddah," Kono soothed. "Tomorrow you'll be outta here and back to the long hours at the office."

"Very long hours," Danny agreed. "Do you know how long the day seems when you're doing the budget for the month? Or expenses accounts? Or…"

"Oh yeah," Kono sighed. "Been dere, done dat." He shook his head. "Not much fun for sure." He cheered up slightly. "Better than being in here, though," he reminded the younger man.

"You got that right, bruddah," Danny agreed, feeling more cheerful himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The combination of boredom, the painkillers and lying with his feet in the air, half on his back, combined to make Danny incredibly sleepy most of the time. Steve had left him a folder with notes on where the case was at the moment in the hopes that Danny might have some other ideas for them to check out, but he found it impossible to keep his eyes open that afternoon. The window was open, letting in warm sunshine, the scent of plumerias and a sea breeze. It was the closest Danny was getting to the great outdoors for the moment and he had asked the nurses to move his bed a bit closer to the window so he could make the most of the fresh air. Now that he was alone in the room, that didn't create a problem and he revelled in the feeling of the air. Without being aware of it, Danny slid into sleep.

When he vaguely heard the door opening, he stirred slightly, but lacked the impetus to open his eyes. It was probably his dinner, but that was not an inviting prospect. Steve had promised to bring in some Chinese later on and his sleep-muddled mind insisted it was too soon for Steve to be visiting. He sighed and snuggled deeper into his pillows.

The next instant, pain rocketed through his body as his ankle was picked up and then dropped. The yell that broke unbidden from his throat got no further than his teeth as a hand clamped down over his mouth. "Keep quiet!" hissed a voice.

Blinking involuntary tears from his eyes, Danny squinted up at his attacker. There was no mistaking who it was, even though Danny had never met the young man before. It was Paul Merrick Junior.

He might be down, but he wasn't out. Danny dealt a quick rabbit punch to Paul's midriff. The youth twisted away, and the punch skidded along his side. Danny let out a yell, hoping the nursing staff would come, but he had no time to find and press the call button; Junior was on him again.

Fighting for your life while flat on your back was not something Danny had ever hoped to do. Now, unsure as to what Junior wanted, but sure it was not for the good of his health, he fought as best he could while hampered by his position and the hospital bed rails.

As they exchanged punches, Junior was railing at him. "It's your fault dad is going to prison!" he cried. "Yours! You shouldn't have got in his way! Nobody is better than him! You deserve everything you get!"

"Paul, stop it!" Danny gasped. "You're going to ruin your life!"

"Shut up, cop!" Junior shouted back. "You should have died when dad intended you to!" A punch slipped past Danny's guard and popped the detective on the ear. There was a burst of sharp pain and Danny yelped.

"You're going to ruin your life!" Danny repeated, barely able to think past the barrage of blows he was enduring. Trapped on the hospital bed, he knew he couldn't take much more of this beating. He managed, more by luck than judgement, to capture one of Junior's wrists in his hand, but he found to his consternation that it didn't help him very much. "Help me!" he yelled as loudly as he could and Junior punched him in the mouth again. Danny tasted blood.

With a sudden twist, Paul broke free of Danny's grip. Danny knew he would have to do something drastic to stop Paul, but he had no idea what. There was nothing close by to grab and hit him with and clearly fighting was not the answer. What was he going to do?

Then the room door opened and things went from bad to worse in a heartbeat. "What are you doing?" demanded an outraged feminine voice.

In a smooth move that Danny did not anticipate, Junior spun around, grabbed Danny in a chokehold and put a gun to his head. "Get out!" he ordered the nurse coldly. "Just get out!"

The nurse was probably not much older than Junior, Danny reflected as he fought to get air past the constriction around his throat. He was mindful of the gun at his head as the nurse paled and fled. Danny hoped she would get help, but suspected that by the time she did, he would already be dead. Now that the gun had come into play, he knew that Junior was in deadly earnest over his intentions. Danny was a dead man.

"Don't … do … this," he begged, not for himself, but for a distraught young man who was about to throw his life away for his worthless father. What good would it do Merrick, Mrs Merrick or the youth himself to kill Danny? Merrick had deliberately set out to ruin other people's lives and deserved everything that was coming to him. The son might yet get past the reputation of his father, but not if he did this. If he did this, he would spend the best years of his life in prison and what would he have when he got out? Nothing.

Just when Danny thought he would black out from lack of air, Junior let go of his neck. Danny slumped down, drawing great gasps of air in. He couldn't think of anything else for several minutes, but as his system's panicky requests for oxygen abated, he was able to calm his breathing and look around.

By the window, just a few feet away, Junior stood looking out. The gun was still in his hand, but tears were trickling silently down his face. "What are… you going… to do?" Danny asked. Talking was hard; his throat was very sore.

The gun came up, and Junior turned to face him once more. "Dad wants me to kill you," he reported dully. "You deserve to be dead. It's all your fault this went wrong. Dad could have ruled the island through Jameson until he was ready to run for Governor himself. Nobody would have stood against him. This would have been his kingdom."

"You learned his lessons … well," Danny commented. "But this island isn't … anyone's kingdom." He stopped to swallow gingerly. "Your dad was … in the wrong," he continued, hoping his voice would hold out. It was getting weaker with every word. "We had … to stop him." He paused as Junior lifted the gun again, but he knew he had to keep talking. Junior might have a conscience after all and Danny could not – would not – allow him to throw away his life if keeping talking might make him see sense. "How long would it have been … before your dad had everyone hooked… on drugs?" he asked. "How long before… being drug free… meant intimidation… beatings…wrongful imprisonment? How long before… your dad was a … dictator?" Danny desperately wanted a drink to lubricate his aching throat. "We have a … memorial here to … brave men and women… who died to… keep America … free. Have you… been to… the Arizona Memorial?"

"Yes," Junior whispered.

"They would have … died in vain … if we hadn't … stopped your father," Danny concluded huskily. "He shouldn't … have asked you … to do this. Your dad is … good at giving … orders, but not … so good at … doing things … himself."

There was no way to tell if Danny's heart-felt plea had reached the young man. Junior's face was unreadable. He stood there, gazing at Danny but obviously not seeing him. The gun was now pointing towards the floor. It was as far away as the moon in Danny's current condition. If his words had not changed Junior's mind, then nothing would.

Outside, Danny could hear sirens. It was comforting to know that help was on the way, but he didn't know if he would live that long. He blinked and saw that Junior was slowly bringing the gun up. Danny's heart contracted painfully. Death was, at best, seconds away.

"I'm sorry," Junior whispered and Danny realised what he intended to do.

"No!" he rasped and made a convulsive movement to pull himself over the bed rails.

The gun went off.


	22. Chapter 22

The nurse had had the sense to phone Five-O direct. Steve had at once jumped into his car, discarding his sling onto the passenger seat. Over the radio, he could hear the call going out for Chin and Kono to join him, but they were both chasing down leads in the case and there was no guarantee they would be near the radio. Jenny was sending HPD back-up.

The biggest advantage of Queen's was its close proximity to the Iolani Palace. With lights and sirens going, it only took Steve a couple of minutes to get there. He slammed the car into park and raced from the vehicle, leaving the door swinging wide. Running into the building, he drew his gun, not even noticing any pain from his injured arm.

Medical personnel packed the area outside Danny's room, most of them involved with moving patients out of the potential danger area. "What's happening?" McGarrett barked.

Before anyone could answer, a shot rang out. "Danno!" Steve breathed, horrified at the implications and, without thinking, he threw open the door and charged into the room.

He expected the room to be in total disarray, but it looked as neat as usual. His eyes were drawn to the bed, where Danny hung, head down, over the railings, Junior sagging beneath him. The coppery tang of blood stung the air. Steve's heart stopped.

Slowly, Danny's head raised, revealing a pale, strained face. "Quick!" Danny croaked, his voice barely audible. "He needs … a doctor."

Still in shock, Steve shouted for a doctor and dashed over, taking Junior's body from the injured officer and laying him gently on the floor. As the doctor knelt by Junior, Steve took charge of the gun he found on the floor and turned to Danny as he put away his own weapon. "Danno! Are you all right?"

There was a pause before Danny nodded. He was still panting and his face showed the strain he had been under for the last several minutes, as well as the beating he had taken. He swallowed painfully and gestured to the glass of water on the table. Still anxious, not yet convinced that Danny was not seriously hurt, Steve handed it to him and watched as he sipped gingerly. "Is he… dead?" Danny asked and Steve winced at the raw, sore sound of his voice.

"He's alive," the doctor answered, rising to allow a couple of orderlies to transfer Junior to a gurney. "He's got a serious head injury, but he's alive."

"Thank God," Danny breathed and closed his eyes.

"You need to be checked out," Steve decreed, seeing the growing red marks on Danny's throat that he knew were embryonic bruises.

The doctor stepped over to Danny's side. "What happened?" he asked as he began his examination.

Haltingly, Danny whispered out the whole story. Steve listened, horrified but intensely proud of the way Danny had handled the situation.

"The shot…" Steve said, not quite asking a question.

"He tried… to kill himself," Danny croaked. "I tried… to stop him. I was… too late."

"I think you succeeded," the doctor contradicted him. "The bullet didn't penetrate his head. He does have a serious bullet wound, but I predict he'll make a full recovery."

"And how is Danno?" Steve asked, shelving the other news for the moment.

"I want an x-ray of your throat," the doctor replied, speaking mostly to Danny. "I can't find any broken bones, thankfully, but you're going to be sore."

"I've got… a bit of a … sore ear," Danny complained listlessly. As the adrenaline wore off, exhaustion was hitting him hard.

"Did he hit your ear?" asked the doctor, examining the offending appendage. Silently, Danny nodded. The doctor went off for a tool and was soon peering into the depths of Danny's ear. "Well, your eardrum is intact," he announced, "so I suspect it will just be badly bruised." He looked expectantly at his patient. "No bullet wounds?" He smiled as Danny shook his head again. "Good. We'll get that x-ray and give you something for pain."

The doctor headed for the door. Steve caught up with him. "Is the throat injury serious?" he asked quietly, glancing back at his officer, who had his eyes closed again.

"I don't think so, but the x-ray will show for sure. I think it's just bruising and swelling which will resolve itself in time." He smiled, but then his face fell. "You can get serious injuries from strangulation, and of course we will watch for those over the course of the next 24 hours or so." He left.

An HPD officer came in. He had been questioning the staff outside and quickly reported his findings. Steve instructed him to wait for Paul Merrick Junior to come out of the ER and the OR if necessary and place him under arrest when he could. A proper rota of guards would be set up as soon as McGarrett could organise it. Moments after that, Danny was whisked away for his x-ray, so Steve took the opportunity to place guards on Junior and let Jenny know that Dan was going to be all right. Almost as an afterthought, he placed guards on Danny as well. Until Merrick's associates were all under lock and key, Danny was clearly a target.

By the time Danny returned, Bergman in tow, Steve was feeling the effects on his injured arm of his mad dash to the hospital. Bergman didn't even bother to berate him; he just checked out the injury and found another sling. Steve refused a shot for the pain, but he knew he would have little option but to take it easy for the rest of the day.

"What's the verdict?" he quietly asked Bergman with a nod towards the sleeping Danny.

"Just bruising and swelling," Doc replied. "It'll resolve itself over the next few days. He's already on an anti-inflammatory to help his ankle, so we'll leave him on it for a few days longer. On the plus side, I think I'll get the ankle cast tomorrow."

"Then you'll release him."

"Not yet; not now," Bergman corrected himself. "We need to make sure he isn't having problems eating and drinking."

"I need him, Doc!" Steve protested. He didn't mean it the way it sounded. Danny's health was of paramount importance, of course, but Steve knew that Danny was a great asset to his team in many ways and Steve missed working with him, bouncing ideas off him and knowing that his second in command would mentally follow him down labyrinthine passageways until they grasped the crux of the matter and solved the case. Dan's thought processes were often quirky and intuitive. Together, they made quite a team. It wasn't solely selfishness that prompted Steve's outburst.

"Patience," Bergman counselled, sympathetic for once. "Besides – he might not have meant to, and I don't approve of his methods, but hasn't he taken another of Merrick's people off the streets?"

"True," Steve agreed. He hadn't quite looked at it like that. "If Merrick's son survives the head wound, what will happen?"

"He'll be held for 72 hours for his own protection in the psych ward," Bergman said soberly. "Then, once he's over the worst of his illness, he'll be released into police custody. We need to play it by ear, though."

"We need to question him as soon as we can," Steve reminded the doctor.

"I know, but you may have to wait anyway. He's almost certain to have a concussion and his memory might well be rather patchy. You know about that."

"Sure do," wryly agreed the chief.

The door opened and Chin and Kono barrelled in looking extremely anxious. Seeing Danny sleeping alleviated some of the worry, but the emerging bruises told them their friend had not escaped unscathed. Steve explained as best he could, but a full explanation would require Danny to tell them all the ins and outs.


	23. Chapter 23

It was several hours later that an exhausted Steve was chauffeured back to the hospital to see Danny. A lot had happened in those hours. Mrs Merrick, upon learning of her son's murder attempt at his father's behest and then his own attempted suicide, provided Five-O with a list of Merrick's mainland contacts as well as names of men who did the majority of his dirty work. Warrants were issued without question and Five-O and HPD rolled into action. Every single person was arrested and then talked in an effort to save their own hides. In the course of those few hours, Merrick's empire on Hawaii crumbled.

"It's all thanks to you," Steve told Danny proudly. He had brought Chinese to celebrate, but all Danny could manage was the soup and that was clearly a struggle.

Danny shook his head. Talking was utterly impossible.

"Whatever you said to Junior worked, aikane," Steve reminded him. "When you stopped him shooting himself, you earned the undying gratitude of Mrs Merrick, who told us everything she knew and everything she suspected." Danny, unconvinced, made a face. "I already refused to accept a brand-new, imported sports car on your behalf," he teased. The satisfaction of this case falling neatly into place almost made him giddy. At that, Danny raised an eyebrow, but he knew that Steve was only kidding. "Danno," Steve placed a hand on his arm, deadly serious now. "All the important clues in this case came from you. You were the lynch pin that joined all the dots for us. I know how disappointed you've been to miss out on closing everything out, but believe me; you were the vital key in this whole thing and if not for you, we might still be out there, trying to stop further drug deaths and being no closer to finding the man behind it all."

After a moment, Danny's lips moved. Steve had no trouble reading them. "Mahalo," Danny mouthed.

Smiling, Steve shook his head. "No," he gently corrected. "Mahalo to you. We owe it all to you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the next morning, Danny's throat was a bit less sore, although talking was rather a hit-or-miss affair. He was delighted to finally get his ankle cast and he was soon hopping around on his crutches, trying to regain his strength. He felt incredibly weak after lying in bed for several days and made more of an effort to eat, despite the discomfort. He wanted out of the hospital.

There were visits from the other Five-O detectives, but they were made on the run between this place and that interview. The former owners of many of the Merrick Industries subsidiaries had admitted the blackmail that had caused them to sell to Merrick and were willing to testify against him. That strengthened the case even further. When the bail application was made on the day Merrick was released from ICU, it was refused straight away. He was transferred to a high security jail ward until he was well enough to be moved to the prison proper.

The news about Paul Merrick Junior was more mixed. He had a severe concussion and had no recollection of his meeting with Danny at all. He was kept on suicide watch and was working with a psychiatrist, but there was little doubt he would stand trial. Mrs Merrick also faced lesser charges of trying to pervert the course of justice, but since she had eventually given them so many names, there had been a deal made so that she would not serve time.

Mark Richards was also given a deal where he would serve six months in prison and thereafter was to attend a drug counselling programme for three years. He would be placed in carefully vetted employment and part of the deal was that he would remain in that job, drug free, for three years or go back to prison. He would testify that word of the drugs raids were sent from the Governor's office to Merrick via the security chief.

Quite what would happen to Merrick Industries remained to be seen. The Federal Trade Commission was looking into the takeovers officially. Some parts of it had been built from the ground up by Merrick and would likely have to be sold off to pay the compensation that would undoubtedly be ordered when the trial was completed. Even if by some ghastly mischance Merrick got off, his name would be forever tainted and his businesses ruined.

Everyone knew that wouldn't happen. Merrick had been caught by his own insistence on having files on all his nefarious movements. His cronies and hired men were all singing like canaries in the hopes of saving their own skins. In a move that signalled the final defeat for the man who once fancied himself King of Hawaii, his law firm withdrew their support and he had such trouble finding anyone else that would take him on that he finally had to accept a Public Defender. Everyone knew the writing was on the wall. Merrick was going to prison for life.

It was the media sensation of the year. The papers were splashed with headline after headline marking the spectacular collapse of Merrick Industries and the humiliating fall of Paul Merrick. When Danny left the hospital two days after his altercation with Junior, he was greeted by a barrage of cameras and microphones and reporters clamouring for a few words from the hero cop who had brought the empire down and saved the youth of Hawaii from the blight of the poisoned drugs. Caught completely by surprise, Danny was barely able to gasp anything out and was horrified that his still-hoarse voice would be broadcast on all stations for everyone to hear.

It was good to get out. Kono, who had collected him since Steve was still banned from driving, took him to the Palace, not to his apartment, knowing that Danny wanted nothing more than to get back into the saddle. Most of the work on the case had been done, but there was a mountain of paperwork to get completed and paperwork would not hurt the ankle or his voice.

It was like coming home to enter the Five-O offices. Jenny leapt to her feet and rushed over to hug him tightly, kissing his cheek and clucking over him sympathetically. Chin beamed at him from his cubicle and Steve came out to place a hand on his shoulder and smile.

"Welcome home, Danny," he said warmly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The paperwork was tedious, but it kept Danny busy while he recuperated. Police business moved on and there were soon other cases occupying Five-O's time, but Danny's thoughts were seldom far from the Merrick case. He had his cast taken off and was walking with a cane and receiving physical therapy when the case finally came to trial.

Merrick looked thinner and greyer as he sat in the courtroom. Danny didn't feel the least twinge of pity for the man. From the defeated slump of his shoulders in the expensive suit he wore, Danny could tell that even Merrick didn't believe he was going to get a last-minute reprieve.

Danny's testimony came late in the afternoon of the first day. He thought perhaps the trial might be adjourned until the next day, but there was a lot to get through and the judge wanted to keep going for as long as they could each day. Danny rose when called and limped down the aisle and through the little gate into the body of the court. He gave his testimony clearly and precisely, and didn't let Merrick's lawyer annoy him on the surface, although he wanted to snap at the man for asking such stupid questions. He was well-used to court room appearances.

It was as Danny walked back to his seat that Merrick put the final nail in his coffin. Danny stopped to open the gate and Merrick launched himself from his seat, pushed aside his lawyer and dragged Danny to the floor, managing to get in a couple of punches before an avenging angel, in the form of Steve McGarrett, dragged him away.

The courtroom was in an uproar as the judge banged his gavel to try and restore order and instructed a bailiff to remove Merrick from the court at once. Steve left the criminal to the bailiff and knelt beside his downed friend, his heart in his mouth. "Don't move!" he ordered anxiously.

"I'm fine," Danny spluttered over a split lip. "Just help me up." He wiped away the blood and finally managed to get past Steve's worried attempts to make him lie still. "I'm fine," he insisted.

"Your ankle…" Steve worried.

"It's fine," Danny sighed. He extended a hand and Steve solicitously pulled him up and saw to his relief that although Danny was slightly rumpled and had a split lip, he was fine. He was taking his weight on the bad ankle without any more problem than he usually had at the moment.

With Danny back on his feet, the hubbub died down and the judge was able to restore order. "Mr Williams are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you, Your Honour," Danny replied, self-consciously wiping away the blood.

"It looks like we will be adding another charge to your client's list," the judge noted, casting a hard stare at the PD. "Court is adjourned for today. We will resume at 9am tomorrow. I would suggest that you talk to your client." He banged the gavel and departed.

"More headlines," Danny commented sourly as he and Steve made their way out of the court building. The reporters were falling over themselves to snap his photo.

"But sympathetic ones this time," Steve commented.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They were back in court next morning. Both Steve and Danny had been right about the headlines in the papers. There were a couple of snide comments, from papers and TV stations that were owned, funnily enough, by Merrick Industries, but they were definitely in the minority.

When the judge was settled on the bench, the PD rose and requested that counsel approach. Walter Stuart looked rather smug, so Steve assumed he knew what was going on. Merrick looked sick. A bailiff stood very close to him to prevent any repeat of yesterday's assault.

After a few moments of consultation, during which the PD sweated nervously and Stuart looked even smugger than usual, the judge nodded and the lawyers resumed their seats. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am able to release you from your duty. Mr Merrick has changed his plea to guilty on all charges and all that remains is for me to pronounce sentence." He fixed Merrick with a basilisk stare. "Rise, Mr Merrick." The criminal and his lawyer both stood. "Paul Merrick, you have pleaded guilty to all the charges levelled against you. I sentence you to 100 years in the state penitentiary with no chance of parole." He banged his gavel with evident satisfaction. "Bailiff, remove the prisoner."

"All rise."

Standing amid the storm of voices that chattered in excitement about the sudden change of heart, Steve and Danny could not find a single word to say. This was the day they had worked towards for several months and it was suddenly over.

Their oasis was broken as a microphone was thrust into their faces. "Mr McGarrett! A comment for the viewers?"

With a glance at Danny, Steve smiled. "Justice was done," he commented. "Our island is a safer place for this verdict. Thank you." Taking Danny by the elbow, they headed for the door.

The persistent reported followed along. "What are your plans now?" he asked.

Pausing, Steve looked back. "Why, we have other cases on our desks right now," he replied. "We're heading back to work."

Leaving the reporter looking rather taken aback, they quickly made their escape. "Don't we get even one day off to celebrate?" Danny complained in a joking tone.

"A day off, Officer Williams? For doing your job? Have those headlines gone to your head? Anyone would think you were a hero." Steve grinned at Danny. "We'll finish early tonight and I'm taking everyone out to dinner."

With a straight face, Danny replied, "Who are you and what have you done with Steve McGarrett?"

PAU


End file.
